Both its interior and exterior make the Peckham library a fun and stimulating space. The library was also designed with flexibility and future use in mind. In fact, the foundation is muscular enough to lift two additional storeys, should the building have a need for growth. The hearty reinforced-concrete frame supports the double mezzanine floor without the need for additional foundations. The foundation consists of a web of concrete piles, which supports both the vertical block and the columns that hold up the cantilever. Internally, the walls are standard plaster partitions and the floors are a raised floor system.
The raised floors in the reading areas are covered with warm red carpet and those in the lobby are stone paneled. The main staircase consists of, "pre-cast concrete treads and landings supported on steel stringers; glass lenses were cast into the concrete to maximise light penetration." The north and south elevations of the vertical block are covered with floor-to-ceiling vivid glass panels. These glass panels are tied to the structure with, "structural silicone glazed to an aluminium stick system curtain wall frame."
The library has attracted the expected bit of attention from vandals. Repairing their efforts is made all the more difficult by the building's use of specially made pre-fabricated parts. Six of the storey-high, colored glass panels were completely shattered. Since the glass manufacturers no longer produced the specific panels, they had to be ordered sourced in France. The tinted film was supplied by the architect. With repair costs soaring to 48,000 pounds, the panels remained broken for several months. The architect then decided to protect the building with a metal mesh curtain. This sturdy metal piece was woven specifically for this project from stainless steel rods and cables, "This was draped and tensioned over stainless steel bracketry and support tubes."
The raised floors in the reading areas are covered with warm red carpet and those in the lobby are stone paneled. The main staircase consists of, "pre-cast concrete treads and landings supported on steel stringers; glass lenses were cast into the concrete to maximise light penetration." The north and south elevations of the vertical block are covered with floor-to-ceiling vivid glass panels. These glass panels are tied to the structure with, "structural silicone glazed to an aluminium stick system curtain wall frame."
The library has attracted the expected bit of attention from vandals. Repairing their efforts is made all the more difficult by the building's use of specially made pre-fabricated parts. Six of the storey-high, colored glass panels were completely shattered. Since the glass manufacturers no longer produced the specific panels, they had to be ordered sourced in France. The tinted film was supplied by the architect. With repair costs soaring to 48,000 pounds, the panels remained broken for several months. The architect then decided to protect the building with a metal mesh curtain. This sturdy metal piece was woven specifically for this project from stainless steel rods and cables, "This was draped and tensioned over stainless steel bracketry and support tubes."
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