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London, England
Everything is comfortable, everything's a brighter shade, everything is suitable, everything is Kool-Aid
Peckham (and the Peckham Library) is not an easy place to get to, but is most certainly worth any (perceived) trouble. Will Alsop (ok, technically Alsop and Stormer) designed what was supposed to be a memorable community center and succeeded beyond all reasonable expectations.
Technically open for the Open House weekend, Peckham Library was still mostly closed that Sunday afternoon. This is a view through the glass doors and into whatever happens on the first floor just next to the elevator core.
The library was ready for the barrage of architecture fans ready to descend upon it and its no photography policy. Upon entering, a burly security guard (for a library) insisted that I not take any pictures inside but that I also put my camera away (apparently he's seen my kind before). Unfortunately the only pictures I was able to take were upstairs inside one of the three pods looking out to a boring section of the space, still as interesting a library as one could ever hope.
The building itself is shaped like a giant "L" that just fell over on itself. The library is on its upper two floors with community services occupying whatever's left. The colored glass facade is on the backside, both sides sport a still fashionable "LIBRARY" billboard.
If you build it he will come, and by "he" I mean me. I'll then bring a camera, take a lot of pictures, scan in the overexposed ones and e-mail them to people weeks later with trite little explanations, unsupported facts and stories that go nowhere.
The library is both reason alone and the lone reason to visit Peckham, a working class neighborhood nowhere near any of the fun stuff. One of at least three RIBA Stirling Prize winners (Laban and the Tate Modern also won), it is probably Will Alsop's best known building but most certainly not his last, as equally interesting, even larger projects in places like Liverpool and Toronto begin construction.
This is Laban. A performing arts center in what could politely be called a transitional community about ten minutes on foot from Greenwich with an absolutely glowing presence, perfectly suited for a sunny, late afternoon visit.
Laban was designed by Swiss architects Herzog and de Meuron, popular in London since the completion of the Tate Modern. This is a view of the Open House lobby, its spiral staircase, wavy rail and milling crowds.
Inside an abandoned cafe but a good view of those glowing walls.
A final picture of Laban: a closeup of the luminous walls complete with reflections of its down and out neighbors.
