Cozy Up With A Browsing Of Residential Libraries Designed By Women

With today being both National Women’s Day and National Book Lover’s Day, it makes sense to put the spotlight on some reading nooks designed by female bookworms in the architecture and design fields.

Before diving into a roundup, however, let’s first take a look at some numbers that are relevant to this double-holiday. Unfortunately, the most recent American Time Use Survey found that the percentage of Americans aged 15 and older who read for pleasure on a daily basis dropped from 28% in 2004 to 19% in 2017.

However, reading is key to social progress, according to the American Libraries Association. Due to a lack of literacy, nine in 10 adults don’t understand the information they receive in healthcare documents, a 2018 ALA survey reported. Additionally, 58% of voters polled said they believe public libraries advance education and the majority of respondents said they are vital for communities.

Women in architecture and design are also fighting the good fight. According to the “2016 Women in Architecture” study from The Architectural Review, which polled 1,152 female architects globally, one in five surveyed wouldn’t recommend a career in architecture to other women, and 67% said the industry does not embrace their authority. And despite progress on both academic and professional levels, just 26% of the architectural workforce in the United States was female as of 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

But since today is about celebrating, here are a few libraries, both public and in residential buildings, that were designed by women in my hometown of New York City and beyond:

One North Fourth

Located on the Williamsburg waterfront in Brooklyn, One North Fourth features a library and co-working space designed by Highlyann Krasnow, founder and creative director of boutique interior design firm The Design High. “We love designing a library – a space filled with books, a nice and calming departure from all the electronics we are always surrounded with,” Krasnow said. “There is automatically a sense of peace you feel when surrounded by the warmth of bookcases and books.” Built in 2014, the rental complex is 41 stories tall with 510 units and has an average price of $4,586 per month, according to the listings site StreetEasy.

90 Morton

In the Manhattan’s West Village, 90 Morton St. has a private library next to its lobby that was designed by Sybille Schneider, head of interior design for Leroy Street Studio. There are specific design elements to take into consideration when designing a reading space, including adequate lighting, Schneider said. “It has to provide for both intimacy and focus,” she explained. “Flat surfaces also need to be scattered around the room in order to place not only the books, but perhaps also a bar, decorative objects, table lamps, and magazines.” The 35-unit, 12-story condo was completed last year and has an average sales price of $12.9 million, according to StreetEasy.

1000M

Out in Chicago, the library shelves on level 11 at 1000M, designed by the city’s native interior designer Kara Mann, will hold a curated collection of classic midwestern literature while offering panoramic views from its terrace. The 74-story South Loop tower at 1006 S. Michigan Ave. is offering everything from a $313,000 micro-unit studio to an $8.1 million penthouse.

OTTO

Back in Brooklyn, Greenpoint’s OTTO has a ground-floor coworking space and library designed by Amanda Gluck, marketing manager at Stellar Management. The space was built with porcelain tiles that resemble wood and opens to the lobby and garden, allowing for natural light. The books are curated from The Strand and other shops and include new fiction and female authors. The eight-story, 197-unit rental complex at 211 McGuinness Blvd. was completed last year and has an average price of $4,533 per month, according to StreetEasy.

Rose Hill

Developed by the original builders of Rockefeller Center and designed with Art Deco flair, Rose Hill is a new 45-story condo at 30 E. 29th St. in NoMad. Designed by international architecture firm CetraRuddy, the tower will include a lobby level and a 37th-floor sky lounge each featuring a curated library from The Strand bookstore. Crafted by Nancy Ruddy, together with her husband John Cetra, on the ground floor residents can cozy up with a novel next to an 8-foot marble fireplace and a grand spiral staircase under a custom chandelier. On the 37th level, the space offers scenic Manhattan views. “The best libraries have always been places of inspiration, so from a design perspective we like to think of them not just as book-lined rooms, but as uplifting environments where knowledge is imparted and where you can feel a sense of wonder about the world,” Ruddy said. “Our approach at Rose Hill ties in to the Rockefeller family’s storied cultural history, which touches libraries, museums, and art venues across New York.” Rose Hill will include 123 condos and is slated for completion in 2020.

Galerie

Over in Long Island City, Queens, a new development at 22-18 Jackson Ave., interior designer Paris Forino included a library as one of the building’s amenities. Forino designed the space in a clean, Scandinavian style, and its books will be curated by the building’s neighbor, the MoMA PS1 art museum. “Books are beautiful and an important contribution to any design,” Forino said. “As a culture, we have become so glued to our screens that we deliberately wanted to create an oasis where people could have a tactile experience these beautiful art books and truly engage with the surroundings.” Constructed last year, the 11-story Galerie has 182 unis with an average sales price of $1.08 million and an average rent of $3,248, according to StreetEasy.

Vandewater

Uptown in Manhattan’s Morningside Heights, a new tower at 543 W. 22nd St., dubbed The Vandewater, honors the neighborhood’s literary history. Along with being home to Columbia University, the Manhattan School of Music and Barnard College, authors like F. Scott Fitzgerald, Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac once resided in the neighborhood. Among the amenities in the 33-story new development is a salon on the first floor, designed by Hilary Kroll, a senior associate at INC. The room is outfitted with books to read and tables to sit and conspire at. “We tried early on in our design process to integrate a baby grand piano, but in the end, decided that it distracted from the primary focus of the space as a library,” Kroll said. “Alongside the books, there are unique objects on display such as magnifying glasses and a globe to strike the curiosity of the visitors.” Completed this year, the building has 183 condos with an average sales price of $1.77 million, according to StreetEasy.