South San Francisco Library Parks & Rec.

GC SWINERTON

Architect SMITH GROUP

Completed  2023 in San Francisco 

This three-story project is a multi-activity civic center for South San Francisco. 

It’s a duel for what’s smarter — the readers inside or the windows on the building. AGA installed vents and actuators that automatically open and close the windows. The window systems can sense rain, wind, and its temperature is based on the outside and inside temperature. 

This project has hundreds of glass pieces and types as a result of the foggy frit. To ensure the glass was installed in the correct pattern, AGA’s field team utilized a logistics labeling unit. It’s impossible to miss the frit patterns wrapped around the curvy project. No one wants to read in a dark dreary room, yet, the books have to be protected from sun damage. The denser areas shown in the photos are protecting bookcases from the sun’s rays. It may be a foggy city but plenty of UVA rays still attack. Ironically, more than 200 frit patterns were used to mimic the look of fog (that by itself wasn’t quite dense enough to protect the books from UV rays).

The AGA shop did a great job finishing the glass units ahead of schedule. AGA’s field team finished a month ahead of schedule. Since the AGA shop was prepared and flexible, they were ahead of schedule, which allotted for more quality control time to ensure the frit pattern was correctly installed.