The extension, 16 thousand square meters of extra space that will provide a children’s section and an ad hoc area for students, has a 100 million dollar budget and is a major project for the city: “The most important civic project that we’ll take on in Philadelphia over the next four or five years”, is how it was described by Gary Hack, head of the faculty of art at the University of Pennsylvania and a member of the jury.
Presented a few days ago, their proposals could not be more different – from a rectangle divided into several levels (proposed by the Canadian Safdie) not far from the present building to a wedge-shaped building designed by Britain’s Foster, two structures designed by Cesar Pelli of the United States and the most radical proposal, put forward by Mexico’s young TEN Arquitectos, a huge L-shape, the longest side of which would cover two thirds of the old building drastically changing its appearance.
They do all agree on a couple of points: to respect and conserve the existing building as a whole and create a large square between the back of the present library and the new building. The winner should be chosen by the end of the year.
Free Library of Philadelphia
1901 Vine Street, Philadelphia
http://www.library.phila.gov
