Geisel library
5 likes3,981 views
The Geisel Library at the University of California, San Diego consists of the main library building and two additional buildings. The main building contains collections related to various subject areas and houses the Dr. Seuss Collection. It is named after Dr. Seuss and his wife in recognition of their contributions. The building was designed in the 1960s to sit at the head of a canyon and features a distinctive tower. While floors 1, 2, and 4-8 are accessible, the third floor is actually an open-air forum and the source of many urban legends about a sealed-off floor.
![Design
The distinctive original building was designed in the late 1960s by William Pereira to
sit at the head of a canyon. William Pereira & Associates prepared a detailed report in
1969. Pereira originally conceived of a steel-framed building, but this was changed to
reinforced concrete to save on construction and maintenance costs. This change of
material presented an opportunity for a more sculptural design. It was envisioned that
future additions to the original building would form terraced levels around the tower
base descending into the canyon, the first of which was designed by Gunnar Birkerts
and completed in the early 1990s. In keeping with the original master plan, it was
"deliberately designed to be subordinated to the strong, geometrical form of the
existing library."[1] Within its two subterranean levels are the other library sections as
well as study spaces and computer labs. The tower is a prime example of brutalist
architecture. It rises 8 stories to a height of 110 ft (33.5 m). The four upper stories of
the tower houses collections, individual study space, and group study rooms.
The Nevada Museum of Art is planning an exhibit featuring the work of William L.
Pereira. For the exhibit, they commissioned a video shoot from FortyOneTwenty, a San
Diego studio. They used a remote controlled helicopter to get unique views of the
building. Here is a sneak peek of the video.](https://image.slidesharecdn.com/geisellibrary-141006024026-conversion-gate02/85/Geisel-library-5-320.jpg)
Geisel library
- 1. Siti yaumilia salsa (13.036)
- 2. LOCATION
- 3. General data
- 4. About Giesel The University of California, San Diego Library consists of the Geisel Library building and the Biomedical Library building. There are also three off-campus locations: The Scripps Archives and Library Annex (available by appointment), the Annex (collections available by request), and the UC Southern Regional Library Facility (collections available by request). The Geisel Library building contains materials and services related to: Arts, Area Studies, Engineering, Humanities, Marine Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences. It also contains the Mandeville Special Collections & Archives, which houses the Dr. Seuss Collection. The Dr. Seuss Collection contains original drawings, sketches, proofs, notebooks, manuscript drafts, books, audio- and videotapes, photographs, and memorabilia. The approximately 8,500 items in the collection document the full range of Dr. Seuss's creative achievements, beginning in 1919 with his high school activities and ending with his death in 1991. The Geisel Library building is named in honor of Audrey and Theodor Seuss Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss) for the generous contributions they have made to the library and their devotion to improving literacy. The Geisels were long-time residents of La Jolla, where UC San Diego is located. The building is featured in the UC San Diego logo and is the most recognizable building on campus. It is located in the center of the campus with Library Walk to its south, Thurgood Marshall College to its West and Earl Warren College to its East. The library first opened in 1970. It was simply called the Central Library until a renovation was completed in 1993, when it was rededicated as the University Library Building. It was renamed Geisel Library in 1995.
- 5. Design The distinctive original building was designed in the late 1960s by William Pereira to sit at the head of a canyon. William Pereira & Associates prepared a detailed report in 1969. Pereira originally conceived of a steel-framed building, but this was changed to reinforced concrete to save on construction and maintenance costs. This change of material presented an opportunity for a more sculptural design. It was envisioned that future additions to the original building would form terraced levels around the tower base descending into the canyon, the first of which was designed by Gunnar Birkerts and completed in the early 1990s. In keeping with the original master plan, it was "deliberately designed to be subordinated to the strong, geometrical form of the existing library."[1] Within its two subterranean levels are the other library sections as well as study spaces and computer labs. The tower is a prime example of brutalist architecture. It rises 8 stories to a height of 110 ft (33.5 m). The four upper stories of the tower houses collections, individual study space, and group study rooms. The Nevada Museum of Art is planning an exhibit featuring the work of William L. Pereira. For the exhibit, they commissioned a video shoot from FortyOneTwenty, a San Diego studio. They used a remote controlled helicopter to get unique views of the building. Here is a sneak peek of the video.
- 6. Entryway The entryway of the library is the site of an art installation by John Baldessari titled "Read/Write/Think/Dream." The installation includes the front doors of colored glass that overlap when they open, the teacher in the lobby, and images of students, books, pens, pencils and palm trees on the glass panels of the lobby. The installation is part of the Stuart Art Collection.
- 7. Third floor One unusual feature of the library is that the lower levels are numbered 1 and 2, and the upper floors numbered 4 through 8. This has given rise to several fanciful explanations for why the third floor is apparently sealed off and not accessible from elevators or steps. One of the more popular stories is that the building's design had not taken into account the eventual weight of books in the library, so the third floor has of necessity been left empty. This is a common urban legend, associated at different times with many other university libraries.There are many urban legends associated with the building. In reality, the "missing" third floor is actually the open/outside forum. There is no other third floor, blocked off or otherwise. It is simply reinforced concrete and an emergency exit that helps students from the 4-8 floors get out without having to go to the second floor. The "third floor" is actually two separate levels. The third floor landings in the public stairwells open to the concrete platform outside the library which was originally intended to be used for sculpture displays, acoustic music, impromptu outdoor conversations, an open public meeting area and poetry readings.Due to potential theft of library materials and the risks attributed to the potential theft of UCSD's rare private collections of literature and art, the doors to third floor were protected to be only used in case of emergencies or for building personnel to conduct transfer of equipment to the central core directly, so as not to disrupt library operations. The "second" third floor's landing is numbered as floor "3.5" and consists of utility connections and wiring to the upper levels. There are no access-ways beyond the stairwell doors of floor 3.5, they are locked utility rooms, in essence for maintenance and repair.The doors to the 3rd floor open outwards from the stairwells while the 3.5 floor doors open inwards towards the central core. The Central Forum, the 3rd floor, was originally intended to be a 'formal' area of the library, but outside the interior so as not to disturb library patrons or library operations.
- 8. Diagram
- 9. Facilities
- 10. Facilities
- 11. LAYOUT
- 12. 1st Floor plan
- 13. 2nd Floor plan
- 14. 4th Floor plan
- 15. 5th Floor plan
- 16. 6th Floor plan
- 17. 7th Floor plan
- 18. 8th Floor plan
- 19. Section
- 20. Section
- 21. Elevation
- 22. Sources http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisel_Library http://ucpa.ucsd.edu/about/work/photography-geisel-library http://libraries.ucsd.edu/blogs/blog/category/geisel-library-building/