5 Minutes With The Far Rockaway Library Team

Far Rockaway Library, Awards for Excellence in Institutional Development Finalist 

Craig Dykers, Founding Partner, Architect FAIA, LEED AP, Int FRIBA, FRSA, RAAR, PhD, Snøhetta

Who has had the greatest influence on your career and what was the best advice he or she gave you?  

Our studio is a cooperative and many people bring their own influences, and we influence each other. We enjoy learning from artists and recently, José Parlá has influenced our work, especially with the Far Rockaway Library. He has taught us to look more deeply into cultures that can be overlooked or misrepresented. He taught us that a wall is alive. He once said: “…walls around us bear witness to lives past and present.” This gave us a new perspective on the objects we created as architects. 

As a ULI NY Awards nominee, what makes you most proud of your project?  

Each time I visit, I see energetic groups of all ages enjoying a moment in the building. I see strangers talking with each other because the design promotes that level of comfort. I enjoy seeing people wait for the bus, framed by the vibrant life of the art on the façade. People seem to genuinely connect to a building that is fundamentally unusual in many respects. 

What excites you about the future of New York City?

New York relies on people to keep it alive, even if its economy is a serious driver. It is a city where people are always learning. Most importantly, I see the city become more attuned to smart design, resilient design, and more human centric possibilities as modes of mobility change.