Adelphi University, Swirbul Library

Adelphi University, Swirbul Library

Adelphi University’s Swirbul Library resembles many of Neutra’s other designs for public spaces, particularly in its use of form and materials. The long, two-story structure is composed of reinforced concrete, brick, aluminum, and glass and aluminum vertical louvers. Around the building, landscaping and a pedestrian bridge over a moat recall Arne Jacobsen’s design for the entry of St. Catherine’s College at Oxford. Here, the single-story entrance welcomes visitors with an angled brick wall. The architecture determines the visitor’s movements inside as well: an elliptical staircase guides the visitor upstairs towards the book stacks. Mirrors alongside the staircase double its voluptuous shape, which lends a Baroque character to the space. For illumination, Neutra designed what he called a “cantilever fixture,” in which he placed a disc-like form atop columns which indirectly illuminates the ceiling. With these design features and others, Neutra established an open interior with a connection to nature and the outdoors. In addition to the library, Neutra and Alexander were commissioned to design a master plan and the Business Education department building at Adelphi University.

Adapted from Neutra – Complete Works by Barbara Lamprecht (Taschen, 2000), p. 424.