The JBI Library
New York City
Description
JBI International / The Jewish Braille Institute is a non-profit institution that provides audio, large-print, and Braille books, magazines, and other publications to blind and visually impaired individuals of all ages and backgrounds.
Our work included a new façade for the seven-story building, a two-story rear yard addition, and strategic reprogramming of JBI’s departments to facilitate the recording, production and distribution of library materials and to create revenue generating tenant space. The glazed street level facade allows visibility into the lobby where a tactile Braille map of the world and large scale graphics with images of open books and sound waves announce JBI’s global mission.
The complete building systems upgrade includes acoustically isolated recording studios, a temperature controlled library archive, state of the art communications, and energy efficient lighting. The materials, furnishings, and graphics support a unified architectural strategy to create a quiet, welcoming presence in midtown Manhattan.
Exterior Photographs by Paúl Rivera
Interior Photographs by Patrik Rytikangas
