Public Library of Des Moines, Iowa, Preliminary Design Sketch

<p>David Chipperfield’s public library design was commissioned as an important part of the civic regeneration strategy of Des Moines, Iowa, an important structure that would connect a new park district to the downtown business district. This linking function is expressed through the building’s shape and the important “gateway gallery” space on the ground floor, which creates a public route through the building, reinforcing its bridging character between the park and the city. Chipperfield chose a plan for the building with three lobes or wings to accommodate the public lobby areas, administrative offices, stacks, and reading areas. From a distance, the building appears to be a solid metal object, an illusion created by a hybrid cladding material composed of a copper mesh laminated between two layers of glass that serves to reflect sunlight, reduce cooling costs, and produce even light for reading.</p>