Slide Library

Slide Library in Manhattan, New York by Marble Fairbanks

As part of a larger plan for the Judith Lee Stronach Teaching Center and located on the ninth floor of the Schermerhorn Building, this Slide Library serves the Department of Art History and Archeology at Columbia University. According to architects Marble Fairbanks, the project "combines research into new computer fabrication techniques, building information modeling and construction, and innovative approaches to ... the organization of an architectural design project."

A major component in this reconsideration of the architectural process is the use of a computer numerically controlled (CNC) milling machine for the laminated, medium density fiberboard (MDF) walls of the library. Strips of MDF were cut via CNC into complex shapes that were then placed face-to-face, rather than face-out, to create the final product. Pieces of laminated glass appear at somewhat regular intervals, occasionally coupled with a contoured recess to give glimpses of the room within.

The above description applies to the primary, important wall, the one visible from the corridor. Its main gesture is to bend itself towards the newly-opened skylight above, in order to bring natural light to the corridor as well as the library. The other three walls turn the MDF 90-degrees into the more conventional position, where they are cut with complex patterns and combined with glazing to admit light. Clerestory glass panels also help ensure the room is hermetically sealed. These three sides definitely cater to those within the library, as the outside faces are treated in a gray color that lacks the attention of the skylit wall.

What's also surprising, and delightful, about the small library is its presence as a free-standing object within an existing open space in the 19th-century building. Walking around the whole room via narrow corridors, the project strikes a balance between an alien presence and an integral part of the building. Of course, it's ultimately about the milled, MDF and glass wall, skylit to accentuate this fact. It's a wonderful little object, not only a precedent for new techniques in architectural practice but for integrating new spaces into existing buildings.