The architecture of the new Henry Madden Library at California State University, Fresno will be in the spotlight at the annual Friends of the Library dinner Friday, Sept. 26, at the Smittcamp Alumni House.

The event will begin at 5:30 p.m. with beverages and trolley tours to view the library exterior. The dinner and program will begin at 7 p.m.

Speakers will be David Martin of the architectural firm AC Martin Partners Inc., and Susan Narduli of the Narduli Studio in Los Angeles. Both have been intimately involved in the Madden Library project.

Martin, design principal of AC Martin, has been involved in major design projects in the U.S. and abroad. Each project, he says, presents the opportunity to reinforce his belief that architecture should tell a story, communicate a vision or reinforce a value. His projects also marry complex environmental, energy-saving and building technology issues into a user-focused design.

He received his bachelor of science in architecture from the University of Southern California and his master’s degree from Columbia University. He is a fellow of the American Institute of Architects and is a registered architect in California, New York, Florida and Arizona.

Narduli began her career as a sculptor and then studied architecture to pursue her desire to create large-scale works. She holds a master’s degree in architecture and is a licensed architect. Narduli Studio has completed commissions for public art, civic spaces, gardens and architecture.

In the Madden Library project, her work celebrates the tradition of basket making in the tribes of California’s central San Joaquin Valley.

The artwork begins at the library’s entry with a garden of indigenous plants used in basket making. Stone benches and walls bear the native words of planting, gathering and weaving.

Inside the library, woven metal mesh wraps the central staircase and leads to the upper-floor suspended glass mural depicting the area’s history in a collage of period and contemporary photographs.

The $105-million library expansion’s new building and renovation are scheduled to ready for occupancy in January.

Reservation deadline for the dinner is Sept. 23 with Kellie Willis at 559.278.2790. Cost is $75 for Friends members and $80 for nonmembers.

Related link:

www.maddenlibrary.org