The Almaden Branch Library and Community Center combines the hustle and bustle of a gym and childcare center with the serenity of a full-service library. Each gets its full due through an inventive floor plan that joins these diverse spaces around a central public lobby, while preserving a stand of heritage redwood trees.
The resulting design has three arms, with the main lobby and a large divisible community room at the hub. The gym and fitness areas are located just beyond a main multipurpose room and kitchen. The kitchen also opens to the gym, allowing it to be used for large social events. The Y-shaped plan arose largely from existing site conditions, including the redwoods, an adjacent elementary school and park. Located on a busy street lined with small homes and low profile retail centers, the facility lends a strong civic identity to the area.
Distinct design characteristics are featured on the street-facing gym and community center spaces, and on the park-facing library and child-care center. The glassy two-story lobby is marked by a dramatic metal and stone stair tower. While the gym is largely behind the fitness rooms, it receives natural light from clerestory windows.
Greeley Family Fun Plex
