The 85,000 S.F., $57,000,000 library at Loyola Marymount University responds metaphorically to significant cultural, scientific, business, religious and governmental landmarks in Southern California by orientating and rotating various levels and program areas towards their symbolic nodes.

Located at the crossroads of two campus circulation paths, the building is sited and designed to respect the infinite view of the sky and city beyond from the Green Mall, the primary access to the main campus.  A sunken plaza with a café and amphitheater acts as a terminus to the Green Mall and serves as a social center for students and faculty.

Other symbolic metaphors include a “Tree of Knowledge” column supporting a cantilevered floor and a skylit “tree-house” atrium, which provides interior visual connection between floors.

The building’s prominent location on a bluff overlooking the Los Angeles Basin will be a visual beacon of knowledge and inspiration for the campus and surrounding community.