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Columbus Metropolitan Library

Martin Luther King Branch

Details
Columbus, OH
Location
17,500 SF
Size
2018
Completion
Awards
National Organization of Minority Architects
Phil Freelon Professional Design Awards, Design Citation
American Institute of Architects, Ohio Chapter
Merit Award
2020
American Institute of Architects, Columbus Chapter
Honor Award
Learning by Design
Grand Prize
2019

A beacon of hope—the Columbus Metropolitan Library Martin Luther King Branch uplifts and empowers the neighborhood it serves.

 

Located in King-Lincoln Bronzeville—a historically African American Neighborhood—the new library provides critical educational and social resources to the community, flipping the script of economic decline.

The library is walkable from both the elementary and high schools, making it accessible to children and those without access to transportation.

Designed with the teachings of Dr. MLK in mind, the library operates as a service center, offering critical resources to children and their families such as after-school care and homework help programs.

39% of neighborhood residents do not have access to a stable internet connection, and 11% have no internet at all. The large computer room provides free internet access—a vital resource for the community to study, pay bills or search for jobs.

Honoring the Legacy

As the first branch library in the United States to be named after Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the design is a metaphorical response to the MLK monument in Washington D.C. that reads: out of a mountain of sorrow, a stone of hope.

55%
increase in visits
40%
increase in children's books checked out

In addition to honoring the work of Dr. King, the branch emphasizes African and African American history, heritage, and culture by displaying a collection of art and artifacts throughout the space.

Investing in Kids

Research indicates that children who are exposed to natural light during the day have better regulated circadian rhythms, leading to better sleep and a greater ability to focus on academics. The building design maximizes daylighting strategies, placing children’s programs along the front façade.

30% of Black residents in Franklin County live below the poverty line and do not have access to affordable daycare. Providing a space for kids to play games and find age-appropriate reading resources enables parents to search for and maintain stable employment.

23% of pre-k students in Franklin County do not meet the kindergarten-readiness standards. By increasing the building footprint by 50%, the new space can accommodate ongoing Kindergarten-Readiness programs for children and their families.

Connecting the Community

The design goal of the library is to embody connection, empowering people to come together to facilitate positive change. Historically, front porches were a place of engaging with the social happenings of a neighborhood. As poverty and economic decline overcame the neighborhood, residents no longer activated their porches and instead, retreated inside.

The new library takes visual cues from neighboring homes, with a front porch that invites residents to come outside and engage with one another—a visual statement transitioning from residential to community space.

Uplifting the Community

Uplifting the Community image
 

Uplifting the Community

The building program intentionally connects community resources under one roof.
Uplifting the Community image
 

Uplifting the Community

The design expression is a metaphor for a handshake—the library uniting with the community as a beacon of hope.
Uplifting the Community image
 

Uplifting the Community

The resulting facility increases library use by 55%, in a space that honors the life and legacy of Dr. King.
Related Content
Ideas
Design is an Act of Hope | Jonathan Moody | TEDxKingLincolnBronzeville
Recognition
Jonathan Moody Recreates MLK Library Journey at NOMA
People
Curtis Moody, Jonathan Moody, and David Moody, PhD, Reflect on Moody Nolan’s 34-Year History with The Columbus Metropolitan Library
Media
Bloomberg: Father-and-Son Architects Leave Multigenerational Marks on a Columbus Library
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