What was once an abandoned T.J. Maxx store in a shopping center is now a vibrant, inviting public library. The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) has transformed the ghost store into the new Deer Park Library, designed by GBBN.
The formerly drab exterior now has a striking blue color and aluminum tubes on the facade, making the library clearly visible from the street. Large new windows in the facade and roof bring daylight into the once-dark retail store, while curved interior walls break up the space.
Five times larger than its previous space, the new 25,000-sf Deer Park Library has been organized around a central zone called The Marketplace. This open, flexible area has been designed to encourage mingling, lounging, and discovery. From the Marketplace, visitors can view all the library’s offerings, including computer workstations and study pods.
GBBN used the store’s large floor plate to create distinct zones for different age groups and activities. The zones have been denoted with mobile furniture and acoustically private yet transparent study pods, and include quiet spaces, a community meeting room, and space for messy creativity. The flexible space can be reconfigured and allows different activities to happen at the same time.
The kid zone invites children to spend time there with bright pops of color and a mix of soft and hard furniture. Custom-designed acoustic ceiling baffles both provide visual interest and dampen sound.
“The community let us know we needed a modern, expanded library, a place to connect, create, and collaborate, and we are truly pleased with how this renovation and expansion turned out,” Diane Cunningham Redden, CHPL board of trustees president, said in a statement.
One sign of the project’s success: The library had to invest in an additional computer terminal to handle the volume of checkouts.
On the Building Team:
Client: Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library
Architecture and design: GBBN
Civil engineer: Bayer Becker
Structural engineer: Schaefer
MEP engineer: Motz Engineering
Technology: BCL Enterprise
Contractor: Perkins/Carmack
Related Stories
| Apr 2, 2013
6 lobby design tips
If you do hotels, schools, student unions, office buildings, performing arts centers, transportation facilities, or any structure with a lobby, here are six principles from healthcare lobby design that make for happier users—and more satisfied owners.
| Mar 27, 2013
Small but mighty: Berkeley public library’s net-zero gem
The Building Team for Berkeley, Calif.’s new 9,500-sf West Branch library aims to achieve net-zero—and possibly net-positive—energy performance with the help of clever passive design techniques.
| Mar 22, 2013
8 cool cultural projects in the works
A soaring opera center in Hong Kong and a multi-tower music center in Calgary are among the latest cultural projects.
| Mar 14, 2013
25 cities with the most Energy Star certified buildings
Los Angeles, Washington, D.C., and Chicago top EPA's list of the U.S. cities with the greatest number of Energy Star certified buildings in 2012.
| Dec 6, 2012
Cornell University students finding solace on indoor library lawns
Potted plants and comfortable chairs are placed around the grass, encouraging students to lounge there during one of the most stressful times of the academic year.
| Aug 7, 2012
How to win more state and local government projects
With a huge building stock at their disposal, state and local governments can be attractive clients, especially in these difficult economic times.
| Jun 1, 2012
New BD+C University Course on Insulated Metal Panels available
By completing this course, you earn 1.0 HSW/SD AIA Learning Units.
| May 29, 2012
Reconstruction Awards Entry Information
Download a PDF of the Entry Information at the bottom of this page.
| May 24, 2012
2012 Reconstruction Awards Entry Form
Download a PDF of the Entry Form at the bottom of this page.
