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Spaces for distinct activities in pavilions, wings, or adjacent areas are smartly configured for cross-pollination without disruption in new and renovated libraries.
Advances in technology and creative use allow libraries to define spaces, add color, and control noise without any walls.
Reading nooks, custom millwork, and generous use of graphic design pull together aesthetic across library interiors.
Enclosed glass spaces allow insight into what’s going on at the library as well as offering a visual connection to the surrounding community, while moveable walls that literally open onto the outside go a step further.
Features inspired by residential designs continue to offer comfort and informal areas to relax and connect.
Cues from the natural landscape come inside, seating and programming go out, as libraries continue to connect indoors and out.
Despite the delays and complications of the pandemic, many libraries persevered to debut new and renovated buildings this year. Playful, dynamic lighting, relaxed and inviting outdoor spaces, light-filled and visible interiors with embedded technology, and smart, sustainable infrastructure are this year’s top trends.
In addition to enhanced cleaning protocols, training, and the public use of personal protective equipment like face coverings, the impacts of coronavirus are transforming how we design public spaces in the short and long term.
The Dayton Main Library, part of the Dayton Metro Library, OH, is one of four honorable mentions for New Landmark Libraries for 2019. The building, in the once-dilapidated Cooper Park and on the Miami-Erie Canal, was almost entirely repurposed. Echoing the region's engineering annd nautical heritage, bridges cross the atrium and visually connect the space, which opens to a three-story atrium featuring a grand staircase. The library now includes flexible spaces, a business incubator, and a theater.
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