Atlanta’s landmark Buckhead Library is in trouble. The library was built in 1989 by the noted architectural firm Scogin, Elam and Bray and won many design awards including the 1993 National American Institute of Architects Award for Excellence. It is now in danger of being razed.
David M. Hamilton’s op-ed piece in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, Axing library would send artless message, is a stark reminder of the constant struggle that faces the art community in a capitalistic society.
He says:
“The very notion that a developer seemingly committed to public art would advocate for the demolition of what is arguably one of the most significant pieces of art and architecture in Atlanta seemed to confirm their worst fears about the direction of the city.
Replacement of a truly world-class and public piece of architecture with more shopping, parking and luxury living seemed to indicate that the city no longer held a place for the quirky, the experimental or frankly even the interesting things that make a culturally vibrant community.”
Robert Craig, an architecture professor at Georgia Tech, adds:
“It’s one of the most important buildings of the last quarter-century in Atlanta…It’s one of the handful in the city known well beyond the city itself.”
The systematic destruction of the cultural DNA of a society simply to feed the unending thirst of capitalism is a no win situation. Many of us realize that this madness has to stop but unfortunately the march of capitalism cannot stop and until we accept that preservation is as important as growth, and art is as important a currency as dollars landmarks like the Buckhead Library will continue to be threatened and keep tumbling down.
Atlanta Journal Constitution piece, By the books: Buckhead Library may be razed.
Save the Library petition and blog has all the info you need to get involved
Scogin, Elam and Bray also designed the amazing Clayton County Library Headquarters