Temple University Charles Library

Lead Designers Suzan Tillotson, Katherine Lindsay, Ellen Sears,

Entry Description

The 24/7 university library space requires a safe and inviting experience for studying late while the rest of the building is closed. The Main Lobby, with its curved 40 ft high cedar wood ceiling, is the heart of the building with a connection to all floors of the building vertically through the oculus and being visible from the far end of the building from the 4th floor.

The 3-intersecting direct/indirect circular LED pendants and adjustable downlights integrated into the top of curtain walls provide ambient and task lighting for the students. Study spaces are bright with vertical illumination to balance with the daylight, attracting students and staff to these pleasant spaces. Linear fixtures with a custom reflector above a white 1” cell egg crate ceiling system create a visually appealing pixel image effect and repeats throughout the building.

The goal was to honor the architecture by promoting interaction and unification; consistently lighting each of the material elements, lighting vertical surfaces and ceilings, and bringing warmth to the space in a sympathetic and efficient way. Targeting LEED Gold, the building’s LPDs were calculated at 40% under ASHRAE 90.1 2010.