Arts District Library

Spring 2023

Designed the spatial layout, architectural concept, and site integration for a hybrid library and skatepark in Downtown LA, blending play, learning, and community into a unified public space.

Role & Objective

•Designed a speculative library concept in LA's Arts District that reimagines how youth and communities engage with public space.
•Aimed to develop a hybrid urban space that combines the functions of a library and a skatepark to support education, recreation, and neighborhood culture.

Actions Taken

•Conducted site research and analysis using color-coded diagrams to map adjacent programs and inform spatial organization.
•Evolved early playground-inspired circulation studies into a dynamic "play-ground skatepark" concept that surrounds and interacts with the library.
•Used site extrusion and circular subtractions to shape the building form, creating courtyards, open-air walkways, and massing contrasts.
•Designed layered circulation paths by dividing the structure into upper and lower zones that promote movement and discovery throughout the space.

Results & Impact

•Delivered a youth-oriented, community-centered design that challenges traditional expectations of public libraries.
•Demonstrated ability to translate iterative research into spatial form-making and integrate unconventional programs cohesively.
•Established a model for blurring educational and recreational functions to foster inclusive, flexible public environments.