Hockessin Public Library -- New Castle, Delaware
10,000 SF expansion | 13,000 SF renovation | information commons | 85-person community room | children's library | young adult area | general collections | adult information technology center
The expansion of the Hockessin Public Library is conceived as a pair of pavilions nestled into the landscape. Simple
and direct in their expression, the pavilions add 10,000 square feet of space to the 13,000 square foot library, including
a new Children’s Collection and a Community Meeting Room, while also improving visitor circulation. An updated and
more contemporary expression is achieved through the re-skinning of the entire building in a restrained material palette
of stucco and fritted glass. The ceramic pattern on the glazing shields intense sunlight and recalls the hanging foliage
of the willows in the adjacent park. The cantilevered Children’s Reading Room floats above the floodplain to create
more useable space than allowed on the site and gestures to the park embracing the landscape and capitalizing on
views. The expansion allows for a significant increase in the overall collections and the seating to meet the demands
of a growing community.
