Robert G Hill
specifications: The library room consists of custom-designed shelving units prefabricated off site and assembled in vertical units each 12’ high, from floor to ceiling. There are 72 compartments, each 28” wide, 13” high, and 14” deep to accommodate oblong folios and oversize books on the subject of architecture. The house framing was specifically designed to take a live load of 50 lbs.per square feet. The weight of the book collection and the shelving is approximately two tons, and is supported by a triple wood beam on the south wall, and by 2x6 vertical wall framing at 12” centres (not 16” centres) all around the perimeter of the house. The floor joists are placed at 12” centres, not the conventional 16”. Each shelving unit is fabricated from 1/2” thick mdf, edged both vertically and horizontally with solid maple trim which adds rigidity and strength to each supporting shelf. Each shelving unit is backed with sheets of 1/4” masonite for added strength. An integrated system of incandescent uplighting is incorporated into the vertical dividers of each module of shelving.
On the north side of the library room is a credenza (above and right) – a low open shelving unit 37” high and 16 feet long. It acts as a barrier and railing beside the open stair, meeting code regulations. This unit holds oversize architectural books and folios, and consists of 16 compartments each 21” long, 14” high, and 12” deep. The total amount of shelving is 430 linear feet, including shelving on the south and east side of the library, and the credenza. Craven Road House was designed in 1994 by Shim/Sutcliffe Architects, Toronto. Design, fabricaton and installation of the shelving, by Arthur Billard and Larry Norris of Catfish Design/Build, Toronto, 1994-5. I moved into the house November 1994 but the interior finishing was not completed until mid-1995. Exterior finishing of the house was Spring 1996, when we had a building bee with five people including Howard Sutcliffe and others from KPMB Architects. c
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on site review 40 : the architect’s library :: books, shelves, collections
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