The awards season may be winding down but some winners are here to stay for Arlington library users.
The Westover and Shirlington branch libraries have been named by an independent jury among the ten 2011 DESIGNArlington winners for excellence in architecture.
Westover
The new Westover branch opened in 2009 as part of the Reed-Westover facility run as a partnership with Arlington Public Schools. The new Shirlington branch opened in 2007 in a building that also serves as home to Signature Theatre.
Shirlington
DESIGNArlington recognizes and encourages design excellence in Arlington’s built environment. Distinctive architectural, public art, and landscape projects completed within the past 5 years are eligible for consideration.
Are there any plans to update the central library?
Hello Mike,
After many years of planning and debate, Central Library underwent a massive renovation during much of the 1990s. The building was basically overhauled from top to bottom, all while the facility remained open to the public. It was a remarkable job in the eyes of anyone who remembers how the building looked before.
Right now there are no plans for renovating Central again but the County constantly monitors the conditions of its buildings and the Library regularly reviews its infrastructure needs.
If you’re interested, here’s a timeline history of Arlington Public Library, which shows how library buildings have evolved in the County since the late 1800s: http://lib.arlingtonva.us/presentation/timeline/apl-timeline.html
Thanks for asking and thanks for supporting Arlington Public Library.