Mathews Memorial
Library
Renovation & Expansion
Mathews, Virginia

Size: 9, 000 sq ft
Completion Date: Spring 2002

A former bank in the heart of this small town’s Main Street, Mathews Memorial Library has long been an icon in the fabric of this rural hamlet. Faced with the pressures of new technologies and an ever-expanding collection, the team chose to retain the best of the existing facility and construct a harmonious addition.

The first two phases of the project were completed in the spring of 2002. The project included demolition of a two story frame addition, restoration of the existing 1931 Neo-Classical building, and construction of an addition containing a community meeting room and youth library. Upgrades to the existing structure included a new metal roof and modern, yet classically influenced detailing. The sum of the parts is an expanded complex that fits the needs of the user, and, although constructed over time, reads as one.

The interiors are light-filled and welcoming, including special touches such as the custom designed circulation desk and a curving steel stair that floats in the center of the space. Many of the architectural elements of the building’s original interior, including tall arched windows and marble wainscoting, were preserved and restored in the course of tying old to new. These existing elements heavily influenced the selection of the classically-inspired furnishings within the library.