This project is a two phased 14,000 SF renovation to the first floor of the Eckart Library Building on the Scripps Institution of Oceanography campus. The program includes offices and support spaces for the Ocean Observatories Initiative Cyberinfrastructure (OOI) program and SIO’s IT Department. Considering the nature of the library as well as the local vernacular throughout campus, we approached this project from the perspective of a permanent art installation within the existing fabric. The design meets the functional needs of the clients while its materiality, form, and flow were inspired by its dynamic oceanfront site. While respecting the original character of the library’s interior, the wood paneled installation for OOI alludes to the stratified landforms of the La Jolla cliffs as well as the nature of OOI’s multi-layered information synthesis program. The glass installation for the IT Department aims to connect the user to the continual, multi-layered flow of the ocean.
