Signal Mountain Public Library
Signal Mountain, TN
The new reading room addition blends seamlessly with the existing library’s mid-century mountain aesthetic. New structural members are expressed inside and out and form a continuation of the existing library interiors. Existing windows were maintained for seamless visibility from the stacks into the new reading room, and the new entry points utilize existing openings and align with travel paths and sight lines to draw patrons into the new space.
A large mountain stone fireplace anchors the space and stretches through both the upstairs reading room as well as the newly covered gathering space on the lower level. Bench seating and windows are thoughtfully designed alongside the fireplace to give readers an inspiring seat “in the trees”.
On the wall opposite from the fireplace, custom flexible shelving was designed around the interior windows; with dimensions carefully curated to host the Library’s oversized volumes and historical collections. Additional bookshelves are seemingly built into the new side windows with a frame to unify these elements and highlight the wooded views. The project also included the addition of a new elevator tower to provide additional accessibility features for patrons.
*Photo Credit - Karen Culp
