ADDITION DOUBLES SIZE OF VIRGINIA LIBRARY
Bowie Gridley kept the original front entrance of the Thomas Balch Library in Leesburg, VA, although it is now a ceremonial entrance. The columns were restored, the brick cleaned, shutters replaced and the old leaky roof was removed and replaced with a new slate roof. The new slate roof and copper accessories were supplied by Buckingham Slate of Virginia. All
photos: Bowie Gridley Architects
Designed by renowned Washington architect Waddy B. Wood and built in 1922, the Thomas Balch Library had been commissioned in honor of Leesburg lawyer and historian Thomas Balch by his sons. It is situated on a narrow lot in the historic district of Leesburg, VA, and was originally a general lending library. After a new public library was built in the 1960s, the library’s focus shifted to
genealogy and history.
By the early 1990s, the library had outgrown its existing space and had fallen into a state of disrepair. The town of Leesburg commissioned Bowie Gridley Architects of Washington, DC, to renovate the existing structure and to design a sympathetic addition that would double its size to 6,800 sq.ft. The new two-story addition allows for the expansion of the library’s collection and provides a
meeting room for community groups that seats 60 people. The expansion also doubles the space allotted for stacks and reading areas on the ground floor.
The original two-story, 3,400 sq.ft. building consisted of a center room and two reading rooms on the main floor and a basement with mechanicals, offices and storage space. “The biggest challenge was doubling the size of the building while preserving the appearance of the Waddy Wood structure,” says Tim Lovett, AIA, Project Manager. “We proposed five different ideas and this one was the least
disruptive to the existing building.”
Bowie Gridley did a lot of restoration work on the original structure which had suffered water damage due to a leaky roof. “We had to rip off the existing roof and replace it,” says Lovett. “We added lightening protection, had the exterior brick cleaned and restored working wood shutters. We also restored the columns on the front porch, replaced hardware and repaired or replaced a lot of the
original plaster molding. There was a lot of water damage in the building because of the leaks in the roof.”
Situated behind the existing building, the addition duplicates the form of the original structure. It features a central pavilion that is capped by a glazed roof. This skylight incorporates computer-designed integral louvers between panes of glass. It is designed to protect the collection from direct sunlight and is calibrated to the exact latitude and longitude of the building.
Left: The original two-story, 3,400-sq.ft. Thomas Balch Library consisted of a center room and two reading rooms on the main floor. The basement was used for mechanicals, offices and storage space.
Right: The addition duplicates the shape of the original building and brings the total square footage to 6,800. Bowie Gridley also extended the parking in the rear of the building and added landscaping, including a terraced outdoor reading area with a fountain and benches.
This central room is made of cast stone rather than brick, so it is a contrast to the original portion of the building. “We selected cast stone for this volume, because we wanted it to be different from the brick in the old building,” says Lovett. “We didn’t want the new addition to blend directly into the old building. This cast-stone volume serves as an exclamation point at the end of the old
building and passage into the new.”
The central, glass-topped room houses the circulation desk while the three wings off this pavilion provide additional archival storage and reading space. A new rear entrance adjacent to the expanded parking lot provides easy access to the building from the lot. “We kept the original entrance, but it is now the ceremonial entrance,” says Lovett. “It is used when the library is open to the public
for receptions, for example. The main entrance is now at the rear of the building, near the expanded parking area.” This entrance incorporates handicap access and there are also elevators nearby to provide access to the conference room in the basement.
Inside, the goal was to create elegant, “unfussy” spaces to complement the Georgian-inspired exterior. “The detailing is consistent with the period of the building,” Lovett says, noting that Bowie Gridley designed all of the fixed cabinetry.
One of the challenges was to integrate the mechanical systems so that there is no exposed ductwork or louvers. “We were able to hide everything,” Lovett states. For example, a lot of the ductwork is hidden behind soffits with lattice work, as shown in the central room with the circulation desk.
The new main entrance, which is similar to the front entrance, is now at the rear of the building in the addition. This view shows the duplication of the style of the original building.
Outside, the architects enlarged the parking area in the rear of the building to provide easier access to the rear entrance. They also added landscaping, including a terraced section on one side of the building. This was originally designed around a huge willow oak tree, but it was struck by lightning so the tree had to be removed. Benches and a fountain were added to create a pleasant outdoor
reading area.
Visit the architect's website at www.bowie-gridley.com
See details about the winning entry in the May/June 2003 issue of Traditional Building Magazine.
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