The Burton Barr Central Library is the first, and largest, library on my 10 Phoenix Public Libraries Worth Photographing list.  The architecture of this building, the central library of the Phoenix library system, sets it apart from your ordinary everyday library.  It is grand in scale and uses modern materials such as glass and steel as representations of Arizona’s canyons, landscape and climate.  The building is an excellent example of architecture responding to its environment.  A classic Greek or Roman style “traditional” library was not built, rather a work of art was designed.  The library’s site describes the architecture as:

Inspired by Monument Valley, the building’s shape resembles a curving copper mesa split by a stainless steel canyon. Focusing on light and illusion, the design features shade sails on north windows fashioned by sail makers in Maine, an entrance tunnel with one back-lit wall and another of blue Venetian plaster with splashes of brightly colored Venetian plaster throughout the building.

The Crystal Canyon, a five-story atrium, has nine skylights at the top to track the sun. The glass-enclosed elevators and grand staircase are surrounded by a black bottom pool which mirrors their images and that of the Crystal Canyon.

A 32-foot high “Floating Ceiling” is suspended by cables over the Great Reading Room of 43,000 square feet on the fifth floor. Six-inch-wide skylights run the entire 300 foot length of the east and west walls. Round skylights covered by lenses create an illusion of flames at noon on the summer solstice, June 21st.

The thought put into the design of the  Burton Barr Central Library makes it a great photography spot in Phoenix.  I went very early in the morning to get the best lighting and avoid car and pedestrian traffic in my images.  But late afternoon/early evening light can be ideal as well and photographing the library in use can add a different dimension to your images.

Photo of the Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenixf/5.0 – 1/100 sec – ISO 100 – Focal Length 28 mm

Photo of the Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix, AZ

f/5.0 – 1/160 sec – ISO 100 – focal Length 28 mm

Photo of the Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix, AZ

f/6.3 – 1/100 sec – ISO 100 – Focal Length 28 mm
Photo of the Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix, AZ
f/5.0 – 1/1000 sec – ISO 100 Focal Length 28mm

Photo of the Burton Barr Central Library in Phoenix, AZ

f/5.6 – 1/125 sec – ISO 100 – Focal Length 28 mm

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