Little Free Library/NYC Design Guidelines and Installation Instructions

Design Guidelines and Installation Instructions
Little Free Library/NYC
“Take a book, return a book”

Little Free Library/NYC is a project, jointly directed by The Architectural League of New York and PEN World Voices Festival, that pairs local architects and Lower Manhattan community organizations to place small book shelters in neighborhoods. The initiative is part of the global Little Free Library movement and is realized in collaboration with Little Free Library, LTD.

In early 2013, ten teams of architects and designers were selected in a juried RFQ process. Each was asked to design, build, and install a Little Free Library in collaboration with a host community organization. The libraries were installed during the IDEAS CITY Festival in May 2013, for which the League was a partner organization, and will be in use through September 1, 2013, at which point they will be evaluated to determine their longevity into the fall. To download a map of the sites, click here.

As part of the original RFQ, and in keeping with the ethos of the Little Free Library movement, the participating designers were asked to provide open source design guidelines and installation instructions to allow others to use and adapt these libraries in new settings. Here, alongside photographs of the final installations, are links to PDFs of these open source designs. We encourage you to bring Little Free Library/NYC to your neighborhood!

Photo: Alexandra Hay/The Architectural League of New York

Designer:
Cevan Castle

Community Partner:
The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural and Educational Center

Download a PDF of Cevan Castle’s design guidelines and installation instructions here.

•••

Photo: Alexandra Hay/The Architectural League of New York

Design Team:
The Irwin S. Chanin School of Architecture’s Design III studio with Maja Hjertén Knutson and Christopher Taleff, design leaders; Michael Young, David Allin and Lydia Kallipoliti, faculty team

Community Partner:
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Architecture

Download a PDF of the Design III Studio’s design guidelines and installation instructions here.

•••

Photo: Alexandra Hay/The Architectural League of New York

Design Team:
Davies Tang + Toews

Community Partner:
La MaMa

Download a PDF of Davies Tang + Toews’ design guidelines and installation instructions here.

•••

Photo: Beowulf Sheehan/PEN American Center

Design Team:
Stereotank

Community Partner:
St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral School and The They Co.

Download a PDF of Stereotank’s design guidelines and installation instructions here.

•••

Photo: Shannon Harvey

Design Team:
Shannon Harvey, Adam Michaels, and Levi Murphy

Community Partner:
Hester Street Collaborative

Download a PDF of Harvey, Michaels, and Murphy’s design guidelines and installation instructions here.

•••

Photo: Studio.0/Brigette Borders and Forrest Jessee

Design Team:
Forrest Jessee and Brigette Borders, Studio.0

Community Partner:
Abrons Art Center/Henry Street Settlement

Download a PDF of Jessee and Borders’ design guidelines and installation instructions here.

•••

Photo: stpmj

Design Team:
stpmj

Community Partner:
Fourth Arts Block

Download a PDF of stpmj’s design guidelines and installation instructions here.

•••

Photo: Beowulf Sheehan/PEN American Center

Design Team:
Matter Practice

Community Partner:
New York University

Download a PDF of Matter’s design guidelines and installation instructions here.

•••

Photo: Alexandra Hay/The Architectural League of New York

Designer:
Chat Travieso

Community Partner:
Two Bridges Neighborhood Council

Chat Travieso’s documents include installation guidelines, painting instructions for the library’s multi-lingual stripped surface, and AutoCAD cut files for the individual components. Download a zip file of all three documents here.

•••

Photo: Alexandra Hay/The Architectural League of New York

Design Team:
Mark Rakatansky Studio with Aaron White

Community Partner:
University Settlement

Download a PDF of Rakatansky and White’s design guidelines and installation instructions here.

•••

This online feature documents the evolution of the Little Free Library / NYC project. In April, the selected design teams shared concept renderings of their planned libraries. In May, we looked at the installation of the ten small book shelters during the IDEAS CITY festival. This week, we publish the above design guidelines and installation instructions, as well as an interview with Rick Brooks, one of the co-founders of Little Free Library, LTD.

Little Free Library / NYC Project Team
Architectural League of New York: Anne Rieselbach, Program Director; Ian Veidenheimer, Program Associate; Daniel Rojo, Assistant Editor, Urban Omnibus; Alexandra Hay and Catherine Bryt, Program Interns.

PEN World Voices Festival : Jakab Orsós, Festival and Public Programs Director; Elizabeth Weinstein, Festival & Public Programs Manager; Charis Holt, Intern

Development Consultant: Jennifer Douglas, Brooklyn Cottage