Taking his inspiration from a Chestnut Street shoe store designed by architectural pioneers Oskar Stonorov and Louis Kahn, Martin produced a diaphanous glass jewel box, two stories tall and 35 feet wide. Large shop windows separated by the thinnest possible aluminum strips offered passersby views of the library’s bookshelves and clusters of comfortable reading chairs. — philly.com
Sydney E. Martin's Mercantile Library was awarded the gold medal in 1954 by the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Inspired by modern retail buildings, Martin designed the library with a transparent glass facade to display the books as merchandise. This innovative design is hailed as one of the 1950's most daring modernist buildings by historian Jeffrey L. Baumoel. So why is it boarded up now?
The branch was shut down in 1989 by the Free Library due to asbestos contamination concerns. The interior has been gutted and the roof has reportedly caved in. The building is now owned by Brickstone Realty, known for several historic renovations. Hopefully the Mercantile Library will be given new life so visitors can once again experience this important modernist building.
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