High Point Branch
Seattle
Miller Hayashi Architects LLC

Floor plan quietly stitches two communities together

© Miller Hayashi Architects LLC

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The original High Point Branch occupied space within a housing estate that was constructed for aircraft factory workers during World War II. Now operated by the Seattle Housing Authority, the estate is currently being redeveloped with federal Hope VI funds. The new library branch is located at the estate′s western edge along a busy arterial road. Instead of viewing this site as a boundary, Miller Hayashi Architects conceived of it as a seam that joins the estate to the community beyond–a principle they incorporated into their library′s design.

High Point′s plan invites patrons to enter the building from two different sides. The main entry court faces the arterial road to the west; along this elevation, the reading room wall is glass, strengthening visual ties to the street. On the eastern elevation, an informal entry court and outdoor reading area maintains a strong connection to the High Point estate. The library′s foyer joins these two entries. Paving stones, which Miller Hayashi liken to "stitching," flow through the building to tie both courtyards and communities together.

A 14–foot–high wall of reinforced masonry acts like a ribbon to band together the meeting room, service, and main library spaces. Fenestration punctures its raked clay bricks, and clerestory windows above the ribbon helps suffuse interior spaces with daylight. A terra–cotta relief by artist Steven Gardner depicts the cosmological narratives of different cultures around the world. Other public art consists of the outdoor reading area, which resembles a Zen garden, and a chain system that draws rainwater from the building′s roof to the ground.

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Formal name of project:
High Point Branch

Location:
Seattle

Gross square footage:
7,000  sq. ft.

Total construction cost:
$1.6 million

Client:
The Seattle Public Library

Architect:
Miller Hayashi Architects LLC
118 N. 35th St.  Suite 200
Seattle, WA 98103
206-634-0177 tel.
206-634-0167 fax
www.millerhayashi.com