Grimm & Parker Logo
Grimm & Parker Logo

The Crozet/Western Albemarle Library

Crozet, Virginia

client

Jefferson-Madison Regional Library

size

23,000 sf

certification

LEED Silver

type

New Construction

stats

Retail Space

How does a library energize and revitalize a historic downtown area? The new Crozet Library is the first building in the town’s new Masterplan District and truly represents the community and their aspirations.

Situated at a prime, pedestrian-friendly intersection, the new library welcomes the community into its inviting spaces, and has seen an 88% increase in the circulation of its 75,000 volumes almost immediately after opening.

Vast local support through the design and construction process helped to shape the services that the Library provides in the soaring reading and study areas and naturally-daylit community meeting rooms. The ground floor retail spaces were built for future services and are currently occupied by a local engineering firm.

The building’s central circulation spine with clerestory glazing is oriented east to west, recalling Crozet’s tunnel that connected eastern Virginia to the west though the Blue Ridge Mountains. This spine feature expresses the rich local traditions of bridge building, engineering, railroad influences, and early American ideals of westward expansion.

Natural Materials

The interior focuses on creating warm, inviting areas where library patrons can read, study, work, relax, and share ideas while connecting to the downtown district and looking out to the mountains beyond.

The Children's Area has custom wood animal cutouts on the shelving and trees on the wall in the computer literacy area to bring nature inside to relieve stress and retain attention.

Closing Thoughts

Library patrons can read, study, work, relax, and share ideas while connecting to the downtown district and looking out to the mountains beyond.

Explore Another Project