LOCATION
Washington, DC
CLIENT
Georgetown University
TYPE
Education | Library | Renovation
The Pierce Reading Room renovation at Georgetown University’s Lauinger Library transforms a traditional reading room into a multi-formatted atheneum for contemporary learning. A variety of seating options and workspaces provide comfortable access to the library’s vast collection of print,
digital, and artifact offerings. Display and exhibition cases built into the walls connect patrons to special collections and a digital display of faculty and student work.
Central to this reimagined space is a flexible digital scholarship lab with a large-format video wall for immersive learning.
The concept for the renovation builds on the original themes of the 1970 brutalist building designed by John Carl Warnecke, being respectful of its iconic presence on campus and within the city while programmatically and experientially accommodating expectations for contemporary
users. Portions of the existing exterior concrete panel walls were removed and replaced with glazing to offer patrons access to views of the Potomac River while bringing in daylight for comfort and wellbeing.
