Community Living Room

The City Library in Bonner Springs, Kansas, has seen rapid growth over the last decade. It operated out of a renovated former high school space unsuited to further expansion. Our design team was hired to provide services in preparation for a bond campaign for a new library building.

A charrette process was carried out wherein library staff, board members, city officials, and interested citizens were involved in a series of meetings culminating in a two day design exercise. A total of five alternatives were generated, with the library board making the final selection. Subsequently, schematic design drawings and a model of the selected design were provided, as well as an informational brochure and a powerpoint presentation. The design team also participated in public meetings leading up to the election.

The design for the new 17,500 sq ft building provides a layout that is both staff and user friendly. It includes welcoming features like a “community living room” with fireplace and a café-style casual seating area. The imagery of the design, which utilizes native limestone and exposed wood roof framing, is a response to client and community requests for a warm, homelike atmosphere. It also takes architectural cues from the Lake of the Forest section of the city, which was originally developed as a summer retreat for Kansas City's elites. Construction is estimated to be complete in early summer of 2009.