The Geisel Library, designed in the 1960s by architect William Leonard Pereira, is renowned for its futuristic design reminiscent of the space age. Pereira, also known for projects like the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco, has given the library a distinctive architectural style that blends elements of brutalism and futurism. This has made the Geisel Library one of the most recognizable buildings in San Diego.
Geisel Library Technical Information
- Architects1-4: William L. Pereira & Associates
- Location: University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA 92093, United States
- Client: University of California San Diego
- Topics: Brutalism, Concrete, Libraries, Pyramids
- Area: 16.350,93 m2
- Cost: $ 5.4 million
- Project Year: 1968-1970
- Photographs: © ArchEyes, © Maciek Lulko
If I Bowdlerize adjectives to describe the proposed new library at San Diego I presume that golldarndest would describe the building that Pereira came up with to satisfy the programmed requirements. […] Obviously architects recently have been ivorried about stodginess of libraries, and have done violence to library needs in some of California’s efforts to overconie this stodginess. Pereira has dramatically done the aesthetic task within the scope of library needs. I wish I could talk with my hands on paper to describe the ‘sculptural, tour de force’ building being considered at San Diego.
– Donald C. Davidson 5
The Geisel Library Photographs
History of the Geisel Library
The Geisel Library is named in honor of Audrey and Theodor Seuss Geisel (better known as Dr. Seuss) for their generous contributions to the library and their devotion to improving literacy. The Geisel’s were long-time residents of La Jolla, where UC San Diego is located.
William Pereira designed The distinctive original building in the late 1960s to sit at the canyon’s head. Built as part of the University of San Diego’s library system, the building has been described as hands holding a stack of books. The building gets its brutalist label from the raw concrete piers that support the building, angle, and extent outwards. The design is energetic as the changing façade varies from level to level and side to side. William Pereira & Associates prepared a detailed report in 1969. Pereira originally conceived a steel-framed building, but this was changed to reinforced concrete to save on construction and maintenance costs. This change of material presented an opportunity for a more sculptural design.
Architectural Design and Structure
The design of the Geisel Library was meticulously planned to allow for future expansions that would seamlessly integrate with the original structure. These potential additions were envisioned as terraced levels cascading down the canyon, deliberately designed to complement and not overpower the strong, geometric form of the existing library.
The building’s architectural brilliance lies in its ability to blend function with form: the two subterranean levels house essential library services, study spaces, and computer labs, while the tower itself, rising 110 feet (33.5 meters) above the canyon, contains the core of the library’s collections. The tower’s five upper stories provide individual and group study spaces, maintaining a dynamic and versatile environment for academic pursuits. The design reflects a thoughtful balance between the structural demands and the aesthetic vision, making the Geisel Library a masterpiece of modern architecture.
One unusual feature of the library is that the lower levels are numbered 1 and 2, and the upper floors are numbered 4 to 8. This has led to several fanciful explanations for why the third floor is apparently sealed off and not accessible from elevators or steps. One of the more popular stories is that the building’s design did not consider the eventual weight of books in the library. Hence, the third floor has been left empty, a common urban legend associated with many other university libraries at different times.
The “missing” third floor is actually the open/outside forum. There is no other third floor, blocked off or otherwise. It is made of reinforced concrete, and an emergency exit helps students from the 4-8 floors get out without going to the second floor. The “third floor” actually has two separate levels. The third-floor landings in the public stairwells open to the concrete platform outside the library, originally intended to be used for sculpture displays, acoustic music, impromptu outdoor conversations, an open public meeting area, and poetry readings.
The Geisel forum’s east side is literally and symbolically connected to Warren Mall by the Stuart Collection work Snake Path, Alexis Smith‘s 560-foot-long slate tile path that winds towards the library. Its route passes a giant granite Paradise Lost and a small garden of fruit trees.
Cultural and Architectural Significance
The Geisel Library has become an enduring symbol of modernist architecture in the United States. Built when Brutalism was at its zenith, the library’s bold use of concrete and sculptural form made it a pioneering structure in the architectural landscape of the late 1960s. The building’s futuristic aesthetic, reminiscent of science fiction, reflected the era’s optimism and fascination with space exploration and technological advancement.
The library has since become an icon, not only for its design but also for representing the forward-thinking ethos of the University of California system. It serves as a visual metaphor for the quest for knowledge, with its ascending structure symbolizing the pursuit of intellectual heights. The building’s unique form, often likened to a spaceship or a stack of books, has inspired countless architects and designers, influencing the design of other university libraries and public buildings worldwide.
Moreover, the Geisel Library’s connection to Dr. Seuss adds a layer of cultural significance that transcends its architectural value. The library is a place of learning and a tribute to creativity, imagination, and the power of storytelling. This dual significance makes the Geisel Library a unique case study in the intersection of architecture, culture, and education.
Geisel Library Plans
The Geisel Library Image Gallery
About William L. Pereira
William Leonard Pereira (1909 – 1985) was an American architect from Chicago, Illinois, who was noted for his futuristic designs of landmark buildings such as the Transamerica Pyramid in San Francisco. Remarkably prolific, he worked out of Los Angeles. He was known for his love of science fiction and expensive cars but primarily for his unmistakable architectural style, which helped define mid-20th century America’s look. His material of choice in creating his unique geometric forms was pre-cast concrete. Working in this medium, he could create his impressive facades by simply attaching them as panels onto the building’s steel frame.
- Technical Architect: Robert A. Thorburn
- Structural Engineer: Brandow & Johnston
- Electrical Engineer: Frumhoff & Cohen
- Construction Company: Neilsen Construction Co
- Extract from the original report of the building published by William Pereira & Associates. Quote by Donald C. Davidson, a University Librarian at the University of California at Santa Barbara
- Frampton, K. (2007). Modern Architecture: A Critical History (4th ed.). Thames & Hudson.
- Banham, R. (1986). Concrete Atlantis: U.S. Industrial Building and European Modern Architecture 1900-1925. The MIT Press.
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