Harwich, MA
Addition, Renovation

CBT developed schematic designs for the renovation and major addition to this historically rich municipal facility. Located in the Cape Cod community of Harwich, Massachusetts, the Brooks Free Library is housed in a 19th century wood frame building in an historic district of town. The Board of Trustees desired to increase usable space, improve functional relationships between spaces, upgrade environmental systems, improve parking, and provide proper ADA accessibility.

The two-story addition was sited to the east of the existing library, in order to extend the library’s presence along Main Street. The axis of the addition is in the north-south direction, forming an L-shaped plan with the original library in a manner that maintains the scale of the street. The addition’s massing reflects the size increments of the existing buildings, creating a humanly scaled composition. Hipped roofs further tie the new and original building elements together. A modest tower was introduced to signal the civic importance of this building in the town center and to mark the entrance areas. The new, formal Main Street entrance is characterized by columns, which balance those of the existing annex building. The entrance from the parking area on the south side is more casual with a welcoming porch wrapping the entry doors.

The library is organized around the first-floor central space, which connects the new and existing wings of the library. The central space also provides access for the entire main staircase and elevator. The focus of that space is the circulation desk, from which the librarians are able to greet all visitors, check books, and virtually control the full length of the library, including the entrance. As part of the circulation desk organization, the librarian’s workroom and director’s office are located directly adjacent to the entry. The efficient relationship allows staff to assist at the desk at peak periods with minimal effort.