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| Photo by Bill Timmerman |
Architect Will Bruder had some challenges when it came to designing the Agave Library in Phoenix. The building site was squashed between strip malls and residential developments and the budget had been slashed by previous projects. Not really a designers dream come true. But sometimes challenges are just what we need to come up with creative solutions. Bruder did more than that, he created a brilliant, bold design that captivated the community and garnered a landmark library award from The Library Journal.
We all face challenges in our life, some tiny and others gargantuan.
The secret is looking at them as opportunities to do something great. Easier said than done.
One of my current challenges is renovating my old Victorian house. My optimistic husband decided we could tackle the exterior painting (not to mention every other room in the house) on our own. This includes a small first step of scraping several layers of pain off three stories of wood shingles and trim. To reach the peak he made his own scaffolding and nailed it to the porch roof. My neighbors stopped to watch in fascination.
We’re on our third year and are about halfway through the project. Along the way we picked out a terrific combination of colors that have restored elegance to a house that was sad and neglected for decades. Now our neighbors (and everyone else in town) stops to compliment our choices and cheer us on.
Sometimes bold is best. But it doesn’t make it less scary.
I would guess that the committee that agreed to the 56 ft. faux front with “Agave” painted in giant sideways letters felt a little nervous too. Instead of trying to fit in with the bleak surroundings, Agave went bold and was rewarded with a library crammed with personality (it’s safe to say the space is both extroverted and open). The community wanted the inside to feel like a “public living room” with sections for kids, teens and adult readers. Each section faces the window wall and has their own access to the reading garden.
Another challenge Agave faced was their budget. Other unfinished projects in the library system usurped part of the bond money leaving the branch with a smaller budget than anticipated. Bruder and Partners used the challenge to create a less is more aesthetic that included a single service area, fewer walls, concrete floors and masonry walls. The splashes of color from the furniture, rugs, art, books and magazines create an clean, modern space that is a refreshing desert getaway.
Now when I look at the expanse of old, peeling paint still clinging to the unfinished sides of my house, I will try not to be overwhelmed by the challenge. Instead I will think of the scrubby strip of undesirable land that was transformed into the oasis of the Agave Library. I will imagine Will Bruder standing behind me, reminding me of the opportunity to create something beautiful with my own blood, sweat, creativity and heat gun.
We all face challenges in our life, some tiny and others gargantuan.
The secret is looking at them as opportunities to do something great. Easier said than done.
One of my current challenges is renovating my old Victorian house. My optimistic husband decided we could tackle the exterior painting (not to mention every other room in the house) on our own. This includes a small first step of scraping several layers of pain off three stories of wood shingles and trim. To reach the peak he made his own scaffolding and nailed it to the porch roof. My neighbors stopped to watch in fascination.
We’re on our third year and are about halfway through the project. Along the way we picked out a terrific combination of colors that have restored elegance to a house that was sad and neglected for decades. Now our neighbors (and everyone else in town) stops to compliment our choices and cheer us on.
Sometimes bold is best. But it doesn’t make it less scary.
I would guess that the committee that agreed to the 56 ft. faux front with “Agave” painted in giant sideways letters felt a little nervous too. Instead of trying to fit in with the bleak surroundings, Agave went bold and was rewarded with a library crammed with personality (it’s safe to say the space is both extroverted and open). The community wanted the inside to feel like a “public living room” with sections for kids, teens and adult readers. Each section faces the window wall and has their own access to the reading garden.
Another challenge Agave faced was their budget. Other unfinished projects in the library system usurped part of the bond money leaving the branch with a smaller budget than anticipated. Bruder and Partners used the challenge to create a less is more aesthetic that included a single service area, fewer walls, concrete floors and masonry walls. The splashes of color from the furniture, rugs, art, books and magazines create an clean, modern space that is a refreshing desert getaway.
Now when I look at the expanse of old, peeling paint still clinging to the unfinished sides of my house, I will try not to be overwhelmed by the challenge. Instead I will think of the scrubby strip of undesirable land that was transformed into the oasis of the Agave Library. I will imagine Will Bruder standing behind me, reminding me of the opportunity to create something beautiful with my own blood, sweat, creativity and heat gun.
