Photographs: George Frey/Reuters
These days whenever there is an empty space in a town or a city, developers move in and start constructing multi-storey buildings, but a town in the United States has utilised an empty space very differently.
McAllen, a town in Texas, turned an old abandoned Walmart, a 124,000 square foot space into a public library, which makes it the biggest single-storey library in the United States.
The building's interior was designed by Meyer, Scherer & Rockcastle as part of a team led by Boultinghouse Simpson Architects of McAllen, who designed the building's exterior.
Let's take a look at the beautiful library, thanks to Lara Swimmer, a photographer who shot the images and agreed to share them with us.
Courtesy, Lara Swimmer, Swimmer Photo
Click NEXT to see the library...
Stunning images of a library in Texas
Photographs: Courtesy, Lara Swimmer
After Walmart abandoned one of its retail stores in McAllen, Texas, the town decided to reuse the structure as a new main library.
The primary challenge of reusing the building was to create a highly functional, flexible library of 124,500 square feet on a single level.
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Stunning images of a library in Texas
Photographs: Courtesy, Lara Swimmer
Primary programme areas of the building - including community meeting rooms, the children's library, adult services, and the staff area - are located in quadrants of the building.
This clear organisation allows easy wayfinding and patron access from a central service spine, delineated by a patterned wood ceiling that runs the length of the building.
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Stunning images of a library in Texas
Photographs: Courtesy, Lara Swimmer
A secondary spine in orange bisects the first to further distinguish the public community meeting rooms from the private staff area and the children's from the adult services areas.
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Stunning images of a library in Texas
Photographs: Courtesy, Lara Swimmer
The library has a lot of empty space, which creates a very releaxing atmosphere.
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Stunning images of a library in Texas
Photographs: Courtesy, Lara Swimmer
The service area provides space for both children and adults.
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Stunning images of a library in Texas
Photographs: Courtesy, Lara Swimmer
The building has been designed in such a way that those who want to catch up with reading can do so in peace and quiet.
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Stunning images of a library in Texas
Photographs: Courtesy, Lara Swimmer
All the sections are clearly marked with big signs.
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Stunning images of a library in Texas
Photographs: Courtesy, Lara Swimmer
Bright colours have turned the library into a beautiful place.
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Stunning images of a library in Texas
Photographs: Courtesy, Lara Swimmer
The library also has lounges for people to read.
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