Olivia Haley-Schmitt

In architecture and design, I am most passionate about learning environments, particularly school and library buildings. For my thesis, I propose a public library, a palace for the people of Bushwick, Brooklyn, offering social infrastructure and a number of indoor–outdoor spaces. In this project, I also expand the offerings of a library beyond books, videos, and computers to include borrowable tools. A series of ethnographic studies influenced my designs, specifically the addition of an outdoor walkway that serves as a shortcut from the subway through the triangular lot to the library. The walkway expands to large and small courtyards. My proposal is meant to celebrate and provide resources geared to the people of Bushwick.