The Far Rockaway Library by Snøhetta in Queens, New York, features a striking fritted orange ombre glass facade with white script by José Parlá, inspired by local sunsets and New York City's writing culture. The building’s simple triangular form contrasts with its surroundings, with cut-out sections and a pyramid-shaped entrance. Read more on SURFACES REPORTER (SR):
Snøhetta has completed the Far Rockaway Library in Queens, New York, featuring fritted orange ombre glass with white script by artist José Parlá. The new building replaces the former library, doubling its size.
Triangular Design and Functional Spaces
The 18,000-square-foot Far Rockaway Library features a triangular form, with cut-out sections at the back corners and a pyramid slice at the entrance.
The first level houses a lobby, information desk, teen area, and offices, while the second level includes adult and children's areas, plus a quiet room.
Sunset-Inspired Facade and Writing Culture Mural
The building's orange facade draws inspiration from the local coastal sunsets, while José Parlá's mural reflects New York City's "writing culture" of the 1960s and '70s, when artists transformed public spaces with their art.
The mural reflects New York City's daily sounds, reimagined into an "indecipherable code." Inside, the semi-translucent facade fills the space with natural light, creating an immersive experience for visitors.
Simple Form and Inverted Pyramid Interior
The library's simple form contrasts with the visual noise of surrounding retail outlets. Inside, it reinterprets the traditional library, offering collaboration and social spaces like a teen room and meeting centers.
A central atrium, with a concrete staircase and tilted columns, creates an inverted pyramidal structure.
Atrium-Centered Design and Artistic Details
The library's interior surrounds an inverted pyramidal atrium, flooding the ground floor with natural light and offering sky views. Clusters of seating and bookcases line the atrium, with a dichroic glass railing along the staircase and orange metal fins descending from the skylight. A mural by Pablo Helguera, inspired by physicist Richard Feynman, adorns the second level.
Following its role as a disaster relief center after Hurricane Sandy, the new library aims to strengthen community services and unify Far Rockaway. Designed as a hub, it supports neighborhood revitalization and brings people together.
Photo Courtesy: Jeff Goldberg/ESTO