The interior of the Michigan Road Branch was designed to separate user groups for sound privacy. The concept, however, intentionally connects the spaces together with sight lines from one interior vicinity, through the outdoor courtyard green space with a grove of trees, and across into more interior spaces. This means a patron can sit in the reading room, the quietest space, and look south into the children’s play area, the loudest space, and feel connected, yet hear nothing.
Material Reuse
The project’s sustainability efforts were not simply added features, but an essential part of the design intent and execution. Our team worked with Indy Urban Hardwood to harvest 17 hardwood trees that could not be designed around. This lumber was transformed into shading slats, the children’s tunnel feature, circulation desk, accent panels throughout the building, and custom-designed tables, adding a special level of material authenticity to the project.
A double-skin facade—the first of its kind implemented in the state of Indiana—allows openness to the community while providing temperature regulation. Vertical fins within a 4′ cavity between glass walls automatically rotate to resolve glare and capture solar heat gain. That heat is released to the exterior in warm months or drawn inside during cool months.
