submissions portal

Deadline for this year’s competition was April 10th at 11:59PM EST.

Questions to consider

One way to think about your project is to look at it from different perspectives, with consideration of different components. Here are some questions that can help you do just that:

On the space’s role in the community:

o   When you think of connections, what connections are you thinking of?

o   How can reimagining the space benefit the institutions involved (WSU & the DPL) as much as it benefits individual community members?

o   How might thinking about the City of Detroit overall be important in thinking about this one space in Midtown?

o   Who do you anticipate using this space?

o   When dealing with public spaces, there are many relationships to consider: that between people and technology; between manmade elements and nature; and between the public and safety. How can the design of a space promote harmony within these relationships?

o   How is Detroit different from most cities, and in what aspects is it the same? What about Midtown specifically?

On the arts:

o   How can the arts and public space intersect and benefit one another?

o   What is the importance of arts & culture to the public?

On digital inclusion:

o   How can this space on Cass between the DPL and WSU encourage inclusion both digitally and physically?

o   How does physical inclusion impact digital inclusion?

o   In thinking about the digital divide, what are the challenges in making digital inclusion in a public space democratic?

On mobility and streetscape:

o   How can the space be designed to complement complete street principles?

o   Mobility is an essential component in our everyday lives, but so are public spaces in which community members can convene and ground themselves. How do you balance mobility and stability?

On public safety:

o   How is public safety defined, or, how do you define it?

o   How can you plan for public safety?

On design and its elements:

o   What non-spatial elements are actually heavily tied to physical space and even enhance it?

o   Can design alone achieve neighborhood stabilization? How so? Or, if it can’t do it alone, what components does design need to work with?

o   When you think of connections, what connections are you thinking of?

selected case studies

The helsinki central library oodi

Library Oodi made waves upon its opening with its innovative approach to reconfiguring the library space and its dedication to the Helsinki community, education and accessibility. Various articles have been written about Oodi, including this one from the New York Times. Visit the library’s website to explore its services and structure, or explore inside the space on Google Earth:

Shepley bulfinch libraries portfolio

Shepley Bulfinch is a nationally renowned architecture firm, and they’ve become sort of professionals at re-imagining library spaces. The firm has completed projects for libraries at Virginia Commonwealth University, Ringling College of Art and Design, as well as Smith College, among others. Much of their practice revolves around thinking about the future of libraries. In addition, Shepley Bulfinch also works on educational projects, such as non-library spaces at schools and general civic spaces. Janette Blackburn is a lead architect at Shepley. With many libraries in her portfolio, she is the perfect source of inpiration and wisdom for reconceptualizing a democratic space. Check out her brief article, “Library Design: 6 elements of a successful process.” Furthermore, visit the firm’s website to check out all the projects they have completed or are otherwise planning.

Pico branch Library in Santa Monica, California

The Pico Library in Santa Monica had the goal of becoming both an educational resource and a social gathering site. By taking advantage of its location in Virginia Avenue Park, the library integrated in its design room for conversation between its interior and its exterior environment. The American Institute of Architects provides the perfect summary on the Pico Branch Library, elaborating on why it was a winner of the AIA/ALA Library Building Award in 2018.

The Charles library at temple university

Architectural Digest writes about the library: “The Charles library is without a doubt ambitious both architecturally and technologically, boasting a soaring cedar-clad atrium and whizbang features like a robotic book retrieval system for a collection of 1.5 million volumes. But just as it was in 1966, the purpose of a library goes beyond books on shelves. ‘Anchoring the definition of the library is a broad view of public good—that means access to knowledge, access to technology, access to communities, access to expertise’, says Joe Lucia, Temple’s dean of libraries.”

Visit the library’s website here.

The James b. hunt jr. library at north carolina state university

The James B. Hunt Library at NCSU is designed by the same firm that conceived the Charles Library at Temple University: Oslo-based Snøhetta Architecture. This Architect Magazine article writes about the James B. Hunt, stating: “In this digital-first era, a new library can raise eyebrows for those who think that print media—and the buildings that house them—are antiquated, but the Hunt Library is not a place for dust to settle on books. Instead, it aims to be a lively hub where students can interact with new technologies. ‘We knew very early on that this was more a research and collaborative space than a traditional library,’ says Snøhetta project manager Nicholas Rader. ‘The university wanted something that showed NC State was forward-thinking in keeping up with the pace of technology and providing an opportunity not only to the students, but to the whole state.’”

The wayne State university master plan

The Wayne State University Master Plan is a great example of a design in development and provides further insight into the area between Wayne State and the DPL Main Branch.

The cultural Center Planning Initiative: The Detroit Square

The Cultural Center Planning Initiative is another professional example that deals directly with the design, infrastructure and use of the cultural center, including the area surrounding the DPL Main Branch. The design team on this project is comprised of the agencies Agence Ter (Paris, France), Akoaki (Detroit, MI), and rootoftwo (Detroit/Ann Arbor, MI), as well as Harley Etienne. The images below are renderings of the Detroit Square the team has conceptualized. Click below to check out the Detroit Square plan:

The center for the future of libraries

The American Library Association (ALA) founded the Center for the Future of Libraries in late 2013. It is modeled after the American Alliance of Museums’ Center for the Future of Museums. The Library of the Future blog has many interesting articles to check out!

Resources at the detroit Public Library

• Katie Dowgiewicz led our February 19th tour through the Main Branch between Cass and Woodward. She’s also happy to receive any questions students might have regarding the Detroit Public Library!

Students can email her at: KDowgiewicz@DetroitPublicLibrary.org

• The DPL sends out a newsletter each month. Check it out!

• And take some time to explore their famous Burton Collection!

videos of past competition winners:

5180 from Wayne State University, winner of the jury award and people’s choice award

Connectd from the university of michigan, honorable mention for interactive design

d-lens – MIUx from the university of michigan, honorable mention for product design

The open museum: Space activators from the taubman college at the university of michigan, honorable mention for overall design

Furhter readings…

Of course there are many case studies worth exploring when it comes to library space and innovation—some of which aren’t even libraries! Check out these links and articles that give way to inspiration:

• “If You Build It, They Might Not Come: Animating City Spaces” from CityLab

• “Eleven Principles for Creating Great Community Places” from Project For Public Spaces

• “The Future of Libraries” from Smithsonian Magazine

• “Life Between The Shelves: Reimagining Libraries as Civic Spaces” from the Knight Foundation

• “To Restore Civil Society, Start With the Library” from the New York Times

• Summary of the general economic impact of libraries, provided by the American Library Association

• “7 Cool Things That Libraries Are Doing, Beyond the Books” from Book Riot

• “How public libraries help build healthy communities” from Brookings.edu

• Library Journal contains many good reads!

Student design summit kickoff meeting

Watch the livestream here or on Facebook to meet the people involved and learn about the great projects currently in development for the WSU + Cultural Center neighborhood!

Beginning – Welcome remarks from A. Paul Fontaine, Program Manager, Michigan Engaging Community through the Classroom Initiative, the University of Michigan

00:03:50 – Introduction to the Cultural Center Planning Initiative (CCPI) given by Annmarie Borucki, Director of Arts & Culture, Midtown Detroit, Inc.

00:11:00 – About the CCPI, presented by members of the Design Team

00:29:30 – About the Wayne Framework, presented by Ashley Flintoff, Director of Planning and Space Management at Wayne State University

01:08:00 – Competition Detail + Q & A, facilitated by A. Paul Fontaine