The culture house is a concept developed by the Danish many years ago to promote the non traditional library. A few years ago, ACA researchers were looking into the idea of the culture house as a way to transform the concept of “library as place.” In the US, there are many examples of culture house + library projects.
At the American Library Association Annual Meeting in Chicago June 29-July 2, 2013, a combined panel of experts shared their ideas on the Culture House + Library. To download the Culture House Presentation, click here.
Alex Cohen, Aaron Cohen Associates LTD, shared library planning and programming elements for the Culture House. He explored library furniture, technology and flexible space concepts. He talked about the need to conceptualize new ideas at conferences like the American Library Association annual conference.
Susan F. Gregory, Director of the Bozeman Public Library, shared examples of how the community and the site and the location of the library can be integrated to create a culture house. She shared examples of activities such as music and cultural events that formed engagement with the community.
Peter Bolek, HBM architects, shared ideas from the Cuyahoga County Library System. He discussed how they created a strategy to engage the community using children book themes. He shared how the community built their culture house by modeling their library to a children’s book, expressing the architecture through a selection of colors and textures associated with the selected book.
Olaf Eigenbrodt, State and University Library Hamburg Germany, shared ideas from European Libraries + Culture House examples. He stated, there are Four Spaces:
• Redefining the (public) library in a changing context.
• Clarifying the multifaceted space of today’s libraries.
• Reinforcing the role of library buildings in urban design.
• Simulating Citizen Identity and involvement.
Olaf Eigenbrodt shared Henrik Jochumsen new model for the public library in the knowledge and experience society.
Jeffrey Scherer, MSR Architects, did a case study of the Umeå 2014 European Capital of Culture. He outlined how the project started out as a library and became a Culture House. The library and community went through a process to help each other. He stated they used a strategy called: ”One for all and all for one”
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– Development that benefits everyone
– Renewal of municipal services
– Streamlining municipal departments
– Mutual trust
– Exchanges of experience
The Culture House is an example of the innovative programming that the American Library Association and LLAMA offers each year to its members.
