Atlanta Public Library (central location), Atlanta , Georgia
From Archiplanet
 | Atlanta-Fulton Public Library (central branch) |
| Designer | Marcel Breuer |
| Location | Atlanta, Georgia, USA |
| Date | 1969 to 1980 |
| Building Type | Library |
| Climate | Warm Temperate |
| Context | Urban |
| Architectural Style | Modern |
| Builder | Marcel Breuer and Hamilton Smith Associated Architects |
| Street Address | One Margaret Mitchell Square (at Peachtree Street) |
| Notes |
Contents |
[edit] Images
Photograph taken by Bryan Broyer |
[edit] Discussion
| Building Details | |
| Client | Atlanta-Fulton Public Library |
In 1969, famed German Bauhaus artist Marcel Breuer, was commissioned by Fulton County and the City of Atlanta, to create the Atlanta-Fulton Central Public Library. The Library construction project began in 1969, and it took 11 years to complete. But in 1980 the Library was finally opened to the public. Sadly, just one year later at the age of 81, Marcel Breuer passed away.
This major works project was the last in a long line of other major projects created by Breuer, and true to form, the whole of the building is an iconic mass consisting of certain re-occurring themes that were key to Mr. Breuer's long-running, stellar career. It is a beautifully sculpted building of cast concrete, glass and steel. And like so many of Breuer's other designs, the minimalistic structure was created with cantilever attributes that give it a certain geometric buoyancy.
Interestingly, the Atlanta Public Library commission came about just a few years after Breuer had completed the Whitney Museum in 1969. And upon casual observation, one will note that there is a striking resemblance between the two buildings. The Whitney, as it is commonly called, is located in New York City and it is a very prominent part of midtown Manhattan's street scape.
The Atlanta-Fulton Central Public Library is located in a prominent downtown spot just a few blocks from The Atlanta City Hall. The paved terrace entrance way features a large steel sculpture created by one of America's most legendary sculptures, Richard Hunt. The building is just one of the many modern structures that are in the ever-expanding city of Atlanta. And because of it's unique design, many consider it to be one of the city's most enduring architectural designs.
With an art gallery on it's lower level, The Atlanta-Fulton Central Public Library still exist today, operating as a public library as it always has. Though, with a recent (2008) proposal by Fulton County's Board of Commissioners to build a new central branch, this one-of-a-kind, historic structure may soon face the the prospect of being demolished.
