Bluffton Library

USC Beaufort

Renovation of the first floor of the USC Beaufort Bluffton Library building refreshed and reorganized the program into three overlapping zones: open/lounge collaboration with visibly accessible tech support, small group/focus areas, instruction/maker spaces, and private study with modern collaborative furnishings.

A variety of collaboration furnishings invite students to participate and “continue the conversation” beyond the classroom, while private and semi-private study and meeting areas define spaces for private study in singles or pairs. Furniture selections give students a comfortable variety of options for studying and socializing. Custom carpet patterns enhance the theme of privacy zones, moving from energetic to quiet in texture and color. The custom pattern mimics ripples in the sand shark’s natural habitat and subtly indicates the recommended volume in different areas of the library – the change in color concentration implies a change in noise levels as one moves from collaborative spaces to the most private study rooms and stacks.

Functional wall and ceiling components provide sound absorption, presentation features, and privacy to select groupings, including existing study carrels. New LED fixtures, large floor lamps, and decorative felt pendants spotlight seating groups, forming “rooms within a room.” Dated gold walls were refreshed with clean, warm whites and watery blue accents to celebrate USC Beaufort’s brand colors of blue, white, and sand. A custom acoustical felt sculpture forms a ‘shark fin’ mobile that soars over the atrium, which can be viewed from the library and second-floor classrooms.

Photography by Kickstand Studio.