Project Details
- Project Name
- Chicago Public Library, West Loop Branch
- Architect
- SOM
- Client/Owner
- Chicago Public Library
- Project Types
- Cultural
- Project Scope
- Adaptive Reuse
- Shared by
- Madeleine D'Angelo
- Project Status
- Built
This article appeared in the June 2020 issue of ARCHITECT.
Perhaps best known in their hometown for corporate towers, Skidmore, Owings & Merrill recently undertook something altogether different in scale, though no less innovative and eye-catching: a series of new public libraries. For the Chicago Public Library’s West Loop Branch, the firm transformed a pair of former industrial spaces into a new facility, preserving the best of the historic structures while adapting them to the current needs of a diverse community.
The highlight of the interior scheme is the main reading room: Opting for a moody, steel-and-wood palette, SOM retained the original lofted wood ceiling, along with the exposed brick walls, which are now theatrically lit by fixtures concealed behind the bookcases. Spiked with splashes of bold color and blocks of stenciled text, the reading room has a raw ambiance as chic as any high-end loft, with comfortable furniture and reading nooks that make it only too easy for library visitors to get lost in a good book. The same hip-yet-welcoming sensibility is on display in every part of the nearly 17,000-square-foot space—from meeting rooms with glass walls covered in playful graphics, to oversized pendant light fixtures over the reading tables, to children’s reading rooms and playrooms filled with quirky furniture that begs to be crawled upon.
Melding the two structures into one and maximizing their programmatic potential, all while revealing long-hidden details from the buildings’ industrial past, SOM’s design takes advantage of embodied carbon while also bearing out the firm’s unique feel for Chicago’s history, as well as its ongoing commitment to the city’s future. At press time, Chicago Public Library branches remain closed in response to COVID-19, but they are expected to reopen in the coming weeks.
Project Description
This project won a 2020 AIA Interior Architecture Award.
FROM THE AIA:
The first Chicago Public Library branch built in the burgeoning West Loop neighborhood, this two-story adaptive reuse project transformed former television studios into a new cultural and social center. The conjoined buildings were donated to Chicago by a generous developer to spur the redevelopment of the formerly industrial zone, and the project helps fill a critical resource gap.
The team was able to preserve the industrial character of the buildings, and its weathered steel exterior and rust-like patina unifies the facade and guides patrons through a steel-framed entrance. Inside, the renovated interior highlights the original bow-truss ceilings and skylights, lending a loft-like atmosphere that is typical of the neighborhood’s factory-warehouse style. Unnecessary walls were removed throughout, and new openings in the common wall of the buildings unify the interior.
Architectural interventions and bold graphic design elements—such as quotes from notable authors—identify the different programmatic areas, including all-ages reading spaces, community rooms, and a digital learning space that boasts a recording studio. A “tinkering lab” complements early learning spaces, while existing alcoves have become storytelling rooms full of interactive play elements and walls with writable surfaces.
In conjunction with existing industrial windows, the team uncovered hidden skylights to increase daylighting and add to the calming atmosphere of the main reading room. Existing offices from the buildings’ time as studios were repurposed as collaboration and activity spaces for all age groups.
As the 81st library branch for the city, the West Loop Branch provides programming for one of the city’s fastest-growing and family-centered neighborhoods. The branch has joined others in providing free tutoring and learning assistance after school, programs that are bolstered by the branch’s modern environment. Since it opened its doors in January 2019, the library has loaned nearly 14,000 books and welcomed just shy of 20,000 visitors. The library’s children’s story times have become so popular that additional sessions were included in its program schedule.
Project Credits:
Project: Chicago Public Library, West Loop Branch
Interior Architect and Designer: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
Graphic and Environmental Design: Skidmore, Owings & Merrill
General Contractor: Blinderman Construction
Lighting Consultant: Gwen Grossman Lighting Design
M/E/P Engineer: Air Design Systems
M/E/P Engineer: ABCO ELECTRIC
Consultant: Bader Arts Metals
Consultant: POHL & VEI
Security: PACE Systems
