Johnson State College

A Cutting Edge College Library and Learning Center

The Learning Center at the former Johnson State College (now a campus of Northern Vermont University) is a cutting edge facility with a computer lab, media center, faculty offices, classrooms, reading spaces, and a library with stacks for 130,000 books and 700 periodicals.  The building serves as a gateway to campus from the west commuter parking lot and completes the frame of an existing quadrangle courtyard.

It opens to the south with panoramic views of the Green Mountains, while the other side opens out into the quad with sitting steps to allow interaction with the campus. This façade connects interior to exterior with large areas of glazing that correspond with the building’s social activity centers: reading spaces, stairways, the bridge connecting to Bentley Hall, as well as the theater steps by the main entry.

The study areas have three tiers that are connected by circular stairs, reminiscent of historic collegiate libraries.  Each tier possesses a distinctive character and can flexibly accommodate various types of student activities.  In the evening, the illuminated interior is inviting and welcoming to all.