Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library

{"version":"0.3.0","atoms":[],"cards":[],"markups":[["b"]],"sections":[[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"As the highlight of the Washington, D.C.\nPublic Library system\u2019s ambitious initiative to renovate its aging\ninfrastructure, the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library offers a new sense\nof purpose in the age of digital information. The library\u2019s landmark structure,\noriginally designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, has been transformed from a\n1970s cultural complex into a socially sustainable engine that drives the\nimportant exchange of information."]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The library\u2019s renovation was part of a\nyears-long effort to revitalize nearly 20 neighborhood libraries across the\ndistrict. From the outset of the project, the design team engaged a wide array\nof stakeholders through an open, public dialogue that helped clarify the\ndesign\u2019s direction. The team led a rigorous entitlement process with city,\nstate, and federal agencies that included regular public hearings. Its\nextensive research throughout the process involved Jack Bowman, an architect\nwho worked on the original building, and Charles Cassell, who led the\nsuccessful campaign to name the library after Dr. King. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The original structure is Mies\u2019 only\nbuilding in Washington and the architect\u2019s only fully realized library in the\nworld, and the library was the district\u2019s first memorial to honor Dr. King.\nPrevious efforts by historic preservation activists resulted in the building\nreceiving landmark status in 2007, ending earlier discussions of demolition or\nrelocation. A priority for the team was finding an equitable and appropriate\nbalance between the legacies of both Mies and Dr. King, which, in turn, became\nan overarching touchstone for all design and restoration decisions. The project\nalso provided the team a critical opportunity to carefully examine the\nstructure on a holistic level and organize its program as a cohesive sequence. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"A central objective of the new design\nwas to highlight the library\u2019s purpose as a social gathering place and its\npresence as a community landmark. The design respects the powerful simplicity\nof the original building, a clear example of the architect\u2019s distinctive\nrectilinear black glass and steel aesthetic, while reflecting Mies\u2019 and Dr. King\u2019s\nvery different legacies. A unique strategy employed by the team is demonstrated\nin the application of a contrasting design idiom for the new architecture. A\nwood-slatted, curvilinear finish and form stands in humanizing contrast to\nMies\u2019 signature work. Applied to the interior and exterior elements, service\npods, auditorium, and stairs, the materials and colors harmonize and compliment\nthe form and discipline of the original library. "]]],[1,"p",[[0,[],0,"The new library stands as an agile\nvehicle for the many ways patrons access information. Four existing floors\nconnect with a fifth-floor addition and rooftop garden through sculptural\nstairs and intuitive wayfinding, which offer a much more legible route through\nthe building. The program respects traditional library services but adds a\nmakerspace, caf\u00e9, and children\u2019s library that includes a multi-level slide. The\nrenovation also addresses"],[0,[0],1," "],[0,[],0,"environmental\nstewardship and is intended to meet LEED Silver standards. "]]]]}