Rosa Keller Library

This New Orleans neighborhood library is comprised of two buildings joined together with the intention that they function as a whole. One building is a historically significant one story bungalow built as a residence in 1917, sited prominently on the corner of South Broad Street and Napoleon Avenue. The other building, built in 1993 specifically to function as a library, was home to the main reading room and stock areas. Both buildings were severely flooded by levee breaks attributed to Hurricane Katrina. The new Rosa F. Keller Center and Library, designed by Architects Eskew+Dumez+Ripple, will serve the Broadmoor community by providing residents with an innovative, 21st century library and community center. A visually open connection is maintained between the Historic House and Library Addition in order to create spatial relief as the two buildings touch. This "spine" allows for a clear line of sight to the playground across Broad Street and provides a clear entry sequence into the library. The new addition will primarily house book shelving, computer stations, and other core elements of the library function, while the historic house will operate primarily as the community meeting center. Additionally, the building will be LEED certified and build to the city's Green Solutions standards. There will be an educational rain garden at the south Broad St site of the Historic House. This will act as a detention pond for storm water runoff. Daylight harvesting will also be an important feature in the addition. The historic house will be restored and adapted for library use.