Student Competition: Redesign the First Floor of KSL

Floor Layouts (PDF's): 

• Lower Level
• First Floor
• Second Floor
• Third Floor

Overview

Kelvin Smith Library (KSL) is sponsoring a competition for student teams to redesign the entire first floor in an effort to transform the KSL into a vibrant intellectual community center for campus learning and research. Students are invited to create teams that will: (1) study the needs of undergraduate and graduate students and faculty, (2) develop a basis of design and program plan, and (3) present the proposed plan to an expert panel for review.

Proposals will be evaluated by the Evaluation Panel based upon the creativity, cost-effectiveness, practicality, and sustainability of the proposals. The number of prizes awarded may vary depending upon the total number of submissions. First prize will be $2,500 to the team.

Teams should consider which services, functions, or features should be added, redesigned, moved to other floors, or eliminated entirely. Proposed designs should complement and enhance the aesthetics of the building, and ensure that KSL is a warm and inviting environment that has a logical layout of features. Teams may choose to change, augment or maintain the current color palette, add artwork or display spaces, add dynamic visual display panels, and change or improve signage. The team also should recommend changes to the furniture. The only parameters for the redesign are: (1) the space for the new library cafe is assigned but the area can be proposed for redesign; (b) any proposed changes to the compact shelving must be accompanied by an alternative onsite location for an equivalent number of volumes; and (3) no relocation can occur to load bearing walls, elevators or restrooms.

Proposal Contents

• Research findings concerning library-related learning and research needs of undergraduate and graduate students and of faculty, including best practices and team survey or focus groups results. 
• Strategic program outline, including the major organizational, functional, economic, and aesthetic goals for the redesign, environmental sustainability opportunities, accessibility for persons with disabilities, the flexibility of the design for future modification, expected capacity and traffic flow, and the potential for implementing the design in phases.
• Detailed program plan and design, including a written report, diagrams of the floor with adjacencies of the different functions, the preferred footprint for each of the major functions, major site requirements, and known constraints or obstacles.

Process

Timeframe and Deadlines. [Note: the following dates are tentative and subject to change]

• Pre-proposal informational meetings: December 2, 2010 at 10:00 am; January 12, 2011 at 10:00 am; January 20, 2011 at 2:00 pm
• Statement of Intent to Submit a Proposal: January 21, 2011 (no later than noon)
• Library staff available for group interview sessions: January 21, 2011 (noon)
• Final written submission: March 14, 2011 (5:00 pm)
• Team Presentations to Evaluation Panel [open university forum]: TBD (March 21 – 31)
• Awards announced: April 11, 2011