West Hollywood Library

West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan

WEST HOLLYWOOD LIBRARY

Johnson Favaro

ARCHITECTS
Johnson Favaro

LOCATION
West Hollywood, United States

CATEGORY
Library

PARKING CONSULTANT
Walker Parking 

INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY CONSULTANT
Waveguide Consulting

AREA
48000 m²

YEAR
2011

PHOTOGRAPHS
Benny Chan

MANUFACTURER
Arper, Gordon International, MOSO, Dakota Johnson, SMI Architectural Millwork, Tans Mineral, Worden

CONTRACTOR
W.E. O’Neil

STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
Englekirk Institutional

MEP ENGINEERING
M-E Engineers

SPECIFICATIONS WRITER
Technical Resources Consultants

LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT
EPT Design

SIGNAGE CONSULTANT
Follis Design

ACOUSTICS CONSULTANT
McKay Conant Hoover

LIGHTING CONSULTANT
Lightvision

FIRE/LIFE SAFETY CONSULTANT
Aon Fire Protection Engineerings

LIBRARY PLANNING CONSULTANT
Linda Demmers

COST ESTIMATOR
Davis Langdon

SUSTAINABILITY CONSULTANT
Davis Langdon

ENERGY MODELING CONSULTANT
Brummit Energy Consultants

CIVIL ENGINEERING
KPFF Consulting Engineers

TRAFFIC ANALYSIS CONSULTANTS
Iteris

INTERIOR CONSULTANT
Carol Cambianica

FOOD SERVICE CONSULTANT
Kitchen Professionals

WATERPROOFING CONSULTANT
Paoli & Co.

The library sits at the edge of the West Hollywood park and occupies the upper two floors of the three-story building.

West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan

The second floor of the library sits one level above San Vicente Boulevard and at grade with the new park.

West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan

The main floor of the library is easily accessed from both the park and from San Vicente Boulevard.

West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan

The library is arranged in two stories, with functions such as the circulation desk, children’s library, young adult collection, internet access, career development center and a second public meeting room at park level.

Reference, fiction, nonfiction and special collections are on the upper level.

The ground floor of the building consists of the entry motor court and drop-off area which provides access to parking structures behind the facility, a service and loading area for the library, flexible public meeting and event space, and a sidewalk café facing onto San Vicente Boulevard at sidewalk level.

West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan

A partially subterranean parking facility for 90 cars – dedicated for library parking during library hours – sits behind and adjacent to the building at the ground floor level underneath new park open space.

The library is situated to maximize its relationship to the park, its stature as a key civic asset in the city, and it views from its upper floors of the city and Hollywood hills beyond.

West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan

The architecture models the austerity of mid-century modernism of Southern California in combination with the flamboyancy of the Spanish baroque that characterizes some of the earliest buildings established in California.

West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan

Its subdued palette contrasts with the bright colors and lights of the surround area of West Hollywood which houses design shops, restaurants, and night clubs.

West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan

The library project achieves US Green Building Councils’ LEED certification at the silver level.


West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan
West Hollywood Library
© Benny Chan


West Hollywood Library
Site Plan
West Hollywood Library
Section


West Hollywood Library
First Floor Plan
West Hollywood Library
Second Floor Plan
West Hollywood Library
Third Floor Plan