VMDO Architects's video: Sweet Briar College Cochran Library Dedication

On Friday, November 7, 2014 Sweet Briar College held a dedication ceremony celebrating the expansion and renovation of its historic Mary Helen Cochran Library. Originally designed by Ralph Adams Cram, Cochran Library was one of the first buildings constructed part of Cram's 1927 campus master plan. VMDO’s addition to Cram’s design aims to respect the architect’s vision for the building by strategically locating new programs around the original core of the structure while preserving its historically significant elevations and major public spaces. The new addition attempts to re-situate Cochran as the intellectual crossroads of the Sweet Briar campus and aims to restore the library as a major student destination. In addition to book and resource storage and space for individual scholarship, the expanded library program includes facilities for collaborative research and group meetings. The library provides support for non-traditional academic pursuits in the form of flexible program areas that can be customized to suit a variety of creative endeavors.