A Library Rich in Detail

When designing a new wing for a historic building, architects walk a fine line. Federal standards--intended to help the public distinguish what is truly historic--require that additions be compatible with their venerable hosts, yet clearly differentiated from them. Designers must create elements that gracefully echo the originals but do not copy them. The expanded Los Angeles Central Library, which opens today at 11 a.m., is full of such elements--what one member of the design team calls “little pieces (that) really tie the facility together.” Here are a few:

* PATTERNS: As the building grew, some of the original was demolished, such as a wall in a children’s alcove that had been painted in a cheerful pattern. To preserve that spirit, designers incorporated animals into the carpeting in the new children’s reading room.

* INSCRIPTIONS: The original designer wanted the building to both inspire curiosity and feed it, so he incorporated eloquent inscriptions about learning. One of today’s artists had that in mind when he designed an elaborate art installation that traces the evolution of language. His inscriptions are etched on the steps from Flower Street to the main entrance.