in 2014, dutch studio mecanoo announced that it was undertaking a major overhaul of the mies van der rohe-designed ‘martin luther king jr. memorial library’ in washington DC. now, with the library preparing to close for the start of renovation work, a new video has been made showcasing the redesigned institution. ‘slated for reopening in 2020, the MLK library will become the center of activity for the already vibrant downtown area,’ say the architects.
different atmospheres on each floor are visible externally
in developing the scheme, mecanoo worked with local partner martinez+johnson architecture to generate a plan that will add 9,300 square meters of additional space for the public — including a rooftop events venue with a landscaped terrace. the glazed perimeter is now for people rather than books, while at ground level, a café has a patio terrace sheltered by the building’s continuous arcade.
upon entering the building, visitors are welcomed into the great hall
visitors to the renovated building will enjoy a new, transparent entryway and a sculptural stairwell, alongside other facilities that include: a large auditorium and conference center, creative fabrication labs, an interactive children’s space, an expanded special collections areas for researchers, and a double-height reading room.
the children’s library is designed to appeal to youngsters of all ages
to undergo the $208 million USD transformation, the library building will close on march 4, 2017. construction will begin the following summer and is expected to take three years to complete — opening in 2020. temporary library services will be set up at various locations throughout the city. for a closer look at the renovation plans, watch the video at the top of the page, and see designboom’s previous coverage of the project here.
community alliances offer a variety of public services
the great reading room is positioned between the third and fourth floors
a two-story auditorium will be inserted into the center of the building
the auditorium spans the fourth and fifth floors
new stairwells are the principal means of vertical circulation
the public terrace on the roof engages with the surrounding city
the building originally opened in 1972
the glazed perimeter of the second floor is for people rather than books
(click for larger version)
the additional fifth floor with auditorium (280 seats), event space, and public roof terrace
(click for larger version)
project info:
size: 37,000 sqm
status: ongoing
project design: 2014 – 2016
project realisation: 2017 – 2020
address: 901 G street NW, washington D.C., USA
client: district of columbia public library
design team: mecanoo, martinez + johnson
program: 37,000 sqm library renovation (design, mies van der rohe) including children’s library, teen’s space, digital commons, dc welcome center, conference center, special collections archives, exhibition and performance spaces, fabrication lab, creative lab, auditorium (300 seats), events space, café, and roof garden
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