Lord Norman Shall Have a Go at the NY Public Library

One thing you can say about Norman Foster: he is not afraid. Because anyone with normal mortal fears would run in terror at the prospect of getting the commission to work on the New York Public Library's landmark Fifth Avenue building. Today's Times brings news that "the eminent British architect who has made something of a specialty out of inserting contemporary designs into historic buildings" will create a new circulation library in a space "below the library’s Rose Reading Room and overlooking Bryant Park that now houses seven levels of stacks and a basement." Mr. Foster described it as "the greatest project ever." (We're not positive, but Santiago Calatrava might have said something like that about his WTC PATH Terminal way back when too.) The area is now 1.25 million cubic feet and it will be totally redone with new rooms for the little ones, for teens and computer work stations. The stacks will be moved to a three-acre storage area beneath Bryant Park that will also to be renovated. The job is supposed to be done by 2013. We're expecting word from Tom Wolfe on "the greatest project ever" any minute.
· British Architect to Redesign City Library [NYT]
· Norman Foster Coverage [Curbed]For more stories from Curbed, go to curbed.com.