Poetry Foundation
Sector
Public
Location
Riverside, CA
Year
2022
A second home for the Poetry Foundation, which was bequeathed major gift from philanthropist Ruth Lily in 2003, which the foundation used to construct its first home in the River North district of Chicago, IL. Due to the expansion of the foundation, a new appetite for poetry is sweeping the nation. Which has prompted the foundation to consider expanding its operations. A new poetry foundation, located in riverside, CA next to the Mission Inn.
Located in Orange Street, 6th Street and Lemon Street, consideration in regard to circulation routes, urban density, patterns of growth, climate creates diagrammatically explanations of specifics attributes of the site as well as the historical buildings around such as the Mission Inn next to the side, building functions and circulation patterns. The programs included spaces such as lobby and reception for new visitors, an open to public collection, a more private collection, a performance space, as well as a gallery ands cafe space. In addition to that more private offices and meeting rooms spaces were necessary. The hierarchy of public to private was generated from circulation routes, as well as vertical layers from the most public in the bottom to the most private at top.
​
​The building is mainly influenced by its site, thus placed, shaped and designed based on site analysis studies and how the form responds to these. Historical typoly and form around the site, would act as contrast to highlighht the building. Sun path study will affect organization and orientation of spaces and form, rotating the building to achieve more sunlight, and slanted walls will use the winter sun more directly and avoid the severe summer heat. ​
The form was created with the intention to imitate the linearity of a book cover, the space organization based on site studies such as how the sun affects the building by natural light. The program is organized in three levels which progressively becomes more private as the visitor continue their path up the floors. The public collection is divided in between the two first floors connected visually by an double high ceiling in the lobby extending to the third floor. The spaces are organized with the flow of movement from one corner to another in a smooth and curved path shaped by the walls and ceilings patterns. The smoothnes of the circulation path in the interior resembles the flow of each letter, word, sentence and paragraph that composes poetry and books
