St. Louis County Library – Clark Family Branch
St. Louis, MO
At the heart of the St. Louis County Library district lies this new two-story Administrative building. The perfect location was critical to the district’s operations and fulfilling the goals of the master plan. Therefore, the team studied numerous sites before proving this to be the perfect location. In addition, the design team put careful weight into critical drivers such as highway access and right-sizing the building to the programs within.
The site needed to accommodate the daily bookmobile trips while having an easy workflow between the acquisitions, processing, and cataloging departments. The team understood the importance of these access points and the workflow as critical drivers to successfully serving its 20 branches.
The LJC team worked closely with the Library district to create functional but inspiring, light-filled workspaces specifically designed for the needs of each department. The processes of each department were vital to maintaining and growing crucial community programs, from Born to Read and Kindergarten Prep, that focus on early literacy in children.
The enhanced campus landscape is embedded with sustainable initiatives and is surrounded by native and adapted species that provide seasonal interest and showcase the region. The design utilizes local materials, colors, and textures to create a landscape rooted in place but also focuses on the future.
