The Orange County Public Library submitted a Request for a Major Certificate of Appearance Approval October 19th during a meeting of the City of Orlando Appearance Review Board. The Certificate would go to install new colorful landscaping, ornamental metal gates and four to six feet high metal and custom fencing system around the exterior of the downtown public library. The intent is to make remote and hidden areas around the library perimeter more secure.
The Downtown Library is one of the most interesting and architecturally significant buildings in Downtown Orlando. John Johansen, one of the Harvard Five architects designed the first phase of the library which was dedicated in 1966.
The Harvard Five was a group of architects that settled in New Canaan, Connecticut in the 1940s that were all influenced by Walter Gropius, who founded the Bauhaus in 1919, and thereafter became head of the architecture program at Harvard. The group is renowned as some of the most significant modernist architects of the 20th Century.
The second phase of the library was designed by Duane Stark of Schwiezer and Associates, an Orlando firm founded by Nils Schweizer, who work for Frank Loyd Wright and oversaw the design of Florida Southern College in Lakeland. The second phase of the library was completed in 1986.
Based on the significance of this Downtown architectural gem, any alteration to the exterior of the building should be consid- ered significant as well as complicated.
The library team originally came to Appearance Review Board staff with the proposal for these improvements in June of 2017. Their original proposal was based on designs approved by the Orange County Library System Board of Directors. ARB Staff and Richard Forbes, the City’s Historic Preservation Officer, both expressed concerns about the original proposal, especially regarding the impacts of the proposed design to the existing, original architecture on the exterior of the building.
City Staff met on site with the applicant and the facilities director for the library building, to discuss both the original proposal and staff’s concerns. Based on that meeting the originals plans were modified and the impacts to the existing architecture were minimized. ARB Staff was pleased with the results.
City Staff met on site with the applicant and the facilities director for the library building, to discuss both the original proposal and staff’s concerns. Based on that meeting the originals plans were modified and the impacts to the existing architecture were minimized. ARB Staff was pleased with the results.
- Fencing — The proposed fencing design, materials, and location are approved as submitted. Permit drawings should ex- actly represent the design as approved by the ARB.
- Gates—the decorative gates and their locations are approved as submitted. Permit drawings should exactly represent the design as approved by the ARB.
- Landscape Plans—Final landscape plans, including a plant list with quantities must be submitted for ARB staff approval, prior to approval of building permits.
- Lighting — It is recommended that he exterior lighting around the library remain in until 2:00 a.m. Monday thru Thursday and 3:00 a.m. Friday thru Sunday.
