History:
The Topanga Library opened on January 21, 2012. As Al Martinez stated in his inaugural speech, "This isn't just an impressive edifice of stone and steel. It's a house of knowledge and imagination, a trip to new worlds, a journey to the mystical land of tomorrow."
The state-of-the-art library is a Leed-certified green building with a Gold rating. It has a central reading room, a children's area with a dedicated storytelling space, study rooms, and a homework center.
Topanga Library also features several art installations from local artists:
- Norman Grochowski undertook the largest commission for the library with three 9' painted steel flowers whose petals are open books. Located on an outdoor terrace, the flowers are accompanied by steel vines which wind up through a trellis, and dragonflies hovering over the flowers. He also created light sconces featuring creatures of the canyon.
- Matt and Paul Doolin created a large circular handmade tile mural depicting the flora and fauna of the canyon.
- Megan Rice created two resin-coated painted sculptures for the children's area.
- Jim Sullivan has created a mosiac entry "rug" for the Library's main entrance from a variety of handmade shaped and broken tiles.
