Bracewell Neighborhood Library

Located on a stereotypical Houston site, the Bracewell Neighborhood Library is situated on a re-mediated swath of formerly swampy pastureland, sandwiched between a working ranch and a highway, encircled by suburban banality

The design focuses on simple forms andmaterials to recall the formerly agrarian genius loci. Materials flow into and out of the building to reinforce an outdoors connection. The library is scaled lower to address the neighborhood on the northwest side at the entrance, and scaled higher at the southeast to address the freeway.

Thesite orientation necessitated that the library face north, away from the freeway, providing ambient light over the book stacks and reduced lightingloads. The building’s layout is straightforward,comprising of two shifted bars clad in glass, metal, and clay brick.

The recessed main entrance leads into a central volume, where visitors find book stacks, computers, and, at the rear, a children’s zone. The south bar buffers against the freeway noise and houses the conference room, multipurpose room, and administrative functions, while the quieter reading areas occupy a low north volume, overlooking the exterior courtyard and landscaping.

The linear layout accommodates a planned expansion of 8,000 s.f. The building is LEED Certified.