Last month, Snøhetta’s Far Rockaway Library opened in Queens, New York. The $39 million project will help further revitalize the community that was severely affected by Hurricane Sandy. At 18,000 square feet, the library is twice the size of its 56-year-old predecessor.

Artist José Parlá Style Writing (2022) A mural wraps around the building’s glass facade, underscoring the company’s intention to create a space for writers away from the city’s traditional literary strongholds in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

Inside, users are immersed in a vibrant, “ephemeral” library experience, flooded with natural light and complemented by a variety of occupancy sensors that work in harmony with the building management system to reduce energy consumption.

Craig Dykers, founding partner of Snøhetta, points out that the project has the ability to promote “joy” and “learning” and says that the vibrant color palette is inspired by the diverse composition of the neighborhood.

Another artwork by Pablo Helguera, dedicated to Far Rockaway-born physicist Richard Feynman, faithfully recreates the words of Emily Dickinson along with Feynman’s dictum, “I, a universe of atoms, an atom in the universe.” The building also features a “Blue Roof” underfloor heating distribution system, designed to drain rainwater at a controlled rate.

So it’s a LEED Gold-certified project. Another similar “green design” from the company to watch closely is the upcoming emerald-colored Westchester Square Library in the Bronx, scheduled to open in late 2025.