Langdon Library
Langdon Library

Civic + Cultural | Municipal:
Library

The library Trustees began their mission to restore their existing Nationally Registered Historic library with the concept of adding onto the structure, while maintaining the community’s desire to maintain the quaint New England fabric; while tripling the usable area.

The planning process engaged all local community groups, local government agencies, library stakeholders, as well as local and state historic commissions and agencies. The result was a program that included the necessary space and design criteria demonstrating how existing staff hours and numbers will be able to effectively operate a library that has grown from 2,000 to 6,000 square-feet.

The solution is a new wing that allows the library to remain quaint and sympathetic to the historic place. Orienting the new wing on an east-west axis to maximize southern exposure for passive solar heating and northern exposure to maximize daylight harvesting is consistent with sustainable site planning strategies and LEED guidelines.