Architectural Design

We are living in an information economy that has redefined markets, employment patterns, and professional identities around the world. Information has grown to become one of the most important commodities in the global economy, with technology at the epicenter. An equally important reality is that technology has become integral to the fabric of society; it actively shapes us by influencing the way in which people behave, the way in which social roles, relations and institutions are constructed, and the manner in which culture manifests itself. Simply put, the role that technology plays in human life is becoming an increasingly urgent question. It is not simply the nature of technological change today, but also the pace. Our technology is developing at a much faster rate than our culture and our institutions, while the gap between these things continues to grow at an ever-increasing rate. The mission of the Fulton-Green branch of the Brooklyn Public Library is to help shrink this gap by providing its patrons the tools to be able to harness information and knowledge through the lens of technology. Technological literacy and equitable access to technology are our guiding principles that will help to achieve this goal.

Our multidisciplinary and multicultural approach with a focus in technology strives to create a diverse space that accepts, supports, and utilizes knowledge from all walks of life to empower those who walk through our doors. Additionally, to integrate properly and respectfully, we will connect with every single resident living in a 5-block radius, culminating in around 1 year of gathering opinions, problems, solutions, thoughts, and the needs of everyone living here. This will enable us to function as a library that is founded, built, supported, and eventually run by the community. This approach operates in tangent with our charrettes, focus groups, and many other interviews with internal and external stakeholders which will allow for this branch library to operate under a more technology focused lens but still share the same ethos that BPL holds dear.

To shrink the socioeconomic barriers that limit access to technology, our plan includes welcoming all ages and walks of life. Classes, panels, lectures, a service desk with technology support, access to Microsoft Office and the Adobe Creative Suite are just a few examples of the types of free programming we will offer. We pledge to equip our community with the tools to take on the ever-increasing tech world, incorporating new ways of engaging residents, and tailoring services to the particular needs of our neighborhoods, while also deepening our capacity to respond to the changing needs of patrons in principled and coordinated ways.