Niles, IL

project 1: 
Full Interior Renovation including Furniture Package
68,000 sf/$5,550,000

scope: Originally built in the 1960s and added on to in the 1990s, the Niles Public Library was a disjunctive collection of attached spaces on multiple levels that represented the various aesthetic of the era in which they were designed. 

Our proposed solution was to create a newly programmed central public commons with a cafe and popular material display that placed importance upon the existing central stair and organized the remainder of the Library. The new programs for the Library included a new teen space, study lounges, media labs and classroom space, a computer lab, an open light filled reading room, and a renovated children’s area to inspire the youth of the community.  Also, the staff has been centralized on the upper top floor in order to foster collaboration. 

The finished Library builds upon the idea of socially appropriate spaces that use natural and colorful materials to create a cohesive space.  The spaces are also integrated with intuitive technology creating a sophisticated, functional environment where everyone can come and feel welcome. 

photographer:
McShane Fleming PhotographyStudio