The Independence Heights Library was a project in which I was tasked to design a building that would occupy an outdoor plaza, gallery space, kitchen, quiet space, book stacks, periodicals, archives, children's space and computer labs. It also required me to have "monumental" stairs that would go through all 3 floors. The purpose was to make a building accessible to the students of Burrus elementary and the elderly of the community. With gang affiliation so strong and dense in the community, if the kids are not given something to keep them off the streets, then they run the possibility of being influenced in a negative way.

The site chosen is near Burrus Elementary. Located where a condemned house stands at the moment, the site was split into 2 lots, one larger than the other. One of my concept ideas was to develop the building into 2 spaces and reshaping the road into the required plaza space. I integrated a skybridge that would connect the two building together but would allow for people to enjoy the 1st floor outdoor plaza without disruptions. 

For this project, the ultimate goal was to comprehend how to develop a building that would house everything, yet retain a reference to the history of the site. It was a space that would appeal to all ages.