Lorton Library

Lorton Library

Lorton, VA

This project was the first attempt by Fairfax County to build a community library. Several public meetings were held with the citizens in the immediate area to solicit their ideas about the new facility.
It was immediately apparent that their desire for an architecture that was sympathetic to the two historic buildings, (both within three miles of the site), was in contradiction with the large-span, flexible space needed by the library staff.

The final design uses brick bearing walls with arches and serpentine non-bearing walls that recall traditional (and timeless) construction techniques, but the building is clearly modern and it satisfies the requirements of a contemporary library. The main Reading Room is one open, clear-span space that can be rearranged in the future as library science evolves over time.