Project by Nicolas Garcia
This project proposes a modular library system built from locally sourced straw bales, an agricultural byproduct with strong ecological benefits as a renewable, low-carbon material. Straw, like other natural fibers, also offers excellent thermal insulation, making it especially suitable for New York City’s variable climate while reducing operational energy needs. By revaluing agricultural waste as architecture, the design reduces embodied energy and promotes circular resource use. The modules are fast to assemble and disassemble, requiring very little prior knowledge or technical skill, which makes the system accessible, replicable, and easy to implement. They are designed to adapt to different pre-existing site conditions, scales of programs, and evolve over time as community needs shift. Each unit integrates kinetic façade elements that transform bookshelves, benches, and windows into interactive surfaces, encouraging reading, play, and social engagement. The prototype at St. Mary’s Park in the Bronx demonstrates how vernacular, sustainable construction can merge with dynamic architectural systems to create vibrant cultural infrastructure. When deployed across New York City’s public parks, the system forms a distributed network of neighborhood-scale libraries, fostering ecological responsibility, inclusivity, adaptability, and public knowledge exchange.
