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Expertise

Architecture

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Project Type

Education

Library

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Location

Biddeford, ME

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Client

University of New England

The Details

Ketchum Library, c1968, was very much a “period piece” of late modernist architecture.

The design response was sympathetic to the scale and texture of Ketchum, while providing an exciting, more visually accessible addition to the campus. The airy gallery addition reinforces the axial formality of the original library.

One of the preservation challenges was to save the exterior mosaics flanking the main entry to the building. These mosaics were successfully woven into the new building design, resulting in a handsome new face on the library.

  • An angled exterior view of the Jack S Ketchum Library at University of New England. A small grassy area is shown adjacent to a stone courtyard/walkway in front of the library building, which features large glass windows/walls and brick colored stone tiles on the side of the building.
  • An exterior view of the Jack S Ketchum Library at University of New England. Students are entering/exiting the library, which is shown at a head-on view. The entrance is comprised of large glass walls/windows, which overlooks into the stone courtyard area in front of the building.
  • Interior view of the art gallery space at Ketchum Library (University of New England). A glass floor-to-ceiling wall is the entrypoint to the gallery and has white vinyl lettering stating the gallery hours. Looking into the gallery, there is a wooden horse-like statue on the ground close to the glass wall and several sculptural artworks affixed to gallery walls.
  • Interior view of the gallery lounge space at Ketchum Library (University of New England). Lots of windows bring natural light to this room that features a brown wood floor covered with a dark grey carpet, about 6 red lounge chairs, a small end table, and gallery artwork pieces on the wall opposite windows.