University of South Carolina, Special Collections Library

Certified: LEED Gold by the U.S. Green Building Council

Awarded:

• AIA South Carolina, Interior Architecture Design Merit Award, 2016
• Historic Columbia Foundation Award, New Construction in Historic District, 2011
• AIA Columbia, Merit Award, 2010

In designing the addition of a special collection to Thomas Cooper Library, originally designed by Edward Durell Stone, one primary challenge was to provide a solution that would celebrate the library’s valuable holdings while respecting the original design. Stringent security and environmental requirements posed additional challenges. By introducing a bridge/connector between old and new, these requirements, as well as sensitivity to the original architecture, were simultaneously addressed. Pulled away from the original building, the 50,000 SF addition was consciously designed as an abstracted form, in counterpoint, to the original design. By placing the addition at the south-facing rear, a separate, yet highly visible presence for the addition was also established.