DESIGNWORKS 2020

New Hanover County Pine Valley Library

Wilmington, NC

Vines Architecture

The design of the Pine Valley Library is rooted in the creation of a community hub that can easily flex and transform to accommodate the ever-changing library users and programs. The unique plan geometry results from the desire to easily adjust collection and programmatic needs and consists of three distinct zones – Program and Meeting Rooms, Children’s Area, and Adult / Quiet Area – radiating from a central circulation and collection area. To change the stereotype of the library as a quiet place, the typical model of separating and enclosing the loud spaces is reversed, with the active children, teen, and maker areas being located in the main public zone and an enclosed quiet adult and study area created. The interior finishes build an environement that blends with the exterior site seamlessly and with a modern vernacular charm. Stained pine soffits extend into the interior while the carpet mimicks the concrete walkways, blurring the lines between interior and exterior. End panels in a white wash wood laminate and red reeds nod to the surrounding coastal site. Outdoor program spaces with a direct visual connection are located adjacent to each of the main interior spaces, solidifying the exterior and interior cohesion. With a minimal budget for finishes and furniture, bold swaths of color were used to help activate the interior and enhance the unique geometry of the building and tie all the activity zones together.