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THE EXPRESS LIBRARY
WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARIES
Located in Downtown Raleigh, The Express Library is Wake County's smallest public library. Despite its size (just two small rooms), the library serves as a vital community resource for its downtown patrons. That being said, it has the ability and resources to offer so much more and lend itself to the greater downtown community. In order to answer this potential, I designed a multi-functional display that illustrates and supports the library's downtown presence.
Role:
Illustration, Display Fabrication, Environmental Design
VISION
I worked at the Express Library for nearly two years, and in that time I got to know the community very well and made connections with patrons that remain to this day. The library is America's most valuable public resource because it truly embraces the attitude that all are welcome regardless of identity. It was important this display reflected this same core belief.
LOCATION SCOUTING
In order to emphasize the library's connection to the community, it was important to me to reference different downtown icons and structures. Though I knew the area well already, I took the opportunity to scout and look for the best representations of the city. I ended up referencing the famous Raleigh acorn, the bus station nearby, and the Sir Walter Apartments.
SPATIAL PLANNING
While measuring and evaluating the display area, I realized the potential for layering on multiple axes. Not only did the base ledge allow for up to three layers of board to sit comfortably, the windows had their own ledges that created unique vignettes. This allowed for a variety of unique stories to be told simply by rearranging the installation pieces.
ILLUSTRATION STYLE
Two things were important to me when developing the illustration style for this display: 1. Keep it fun! 2. Keep it simple. Keeping it fun was helped by the vibrant colors used throughout (inspired by Wake County Public Libraries' brand palette. Keeping it simple was important for the medium I ended up working with. The lines had to be fairly easy to cut out of corrugated board and assembled. Overall, I had a great time working on these illustrations!
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