Strong Are Thy Walls is a project grounded in the vision of modernizing historic spaces while preserving the values and traditions that make Salem College’s campus unique and culturally significant.
History can be rewritten in every generation, adapting it to the needs of the present while preserving the traditions that make it "history." Common spaces are essential for social connection, but they can also provide opportunities for personal reflection and self-discovery. Technology and computers are an essential part of everyday life, even in libraries where books are supposed to be the main protagonists. It's difficult for books and computers to coexist, but when the two merge, “history” is made in the present.
There is a unique juxtaposition between Gramley Library's historical heritage and the practical needs of contemporary academics in its current building. Although the library serves as a repository of history, its current design struggles to balance the quiet, peaceful nature of traditional preservation with the growing demand for vibrant, communal, and intimate spaces. A primary challenge is the conflicting conversation between digital integration and physical media.
Strong Are Thy Walls project fills these voids by converting Gramley Library into a 21st-century learning hub in which the past informs the present. The answer: a structural and visual redesign that places an emphasis on communal areas intended for both active socializing and peaceful reflection. To emphasize these contrasting relationships: between old and modern, as well as public and private, the transformation is accomplished through a renovation that blends contrasting materials, such as exposed historic brick paired with glass, steel, and light wood. The library's peaceful mood is preserved through organized floor plans that introduce semi-enclosed study areas and intimate nooks for focused study, alongside open, flexible meeting places designed for collaboration and social interaction, as well as quiet rooms for reflection. Strategic lighting, clear spatial divisions, and integrated technology further strengthen this balance, ensuring that digital resources and physical collections coexist. These efforts redefine how history is experienced in the present by transforming the library into a safe space and a vibrant social anchor.
Cristina Battistini is a senior at Salem College from Italy majoring in Interior Design and Math. While at Salem College, Cristina interned at Design + by Cassandra Michelle for two semesters.