What was once an abandoned T.J. Maxx store in a shopping center is now a vibrant, inviting public library. The Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library (CHPL) has transformed the ghost store into the new Deer Park Library, designed by GBBN.
The formerly drab exterior now has a striking blue color and aluminum tubes on the facade, making the library clearly visible from the street. Large new windows in the facade and roof bring daylight into the once-dark retail store, while curved interior walls break up the space.
Five times larger than its previous space, the new 25,000-sf Deer Park Library has been organized around a central zone called The Marketplace. This open, flexible area has been designed to encourage mingling, lounging, and discovery. From the Marketplace, visitors can view all the library’s offerings, including computer workstations and study pods.
GBBN used the store’s large floor plate to create distinct zones for different age groups and activities. The zones have been denoted with mobile furniture and acoustically private yet transparent study pods, and include quiet spaces, a community meeting room, and space for messy creativity. The flexible space can be reconfigured and allows different activities to happen at the same time.
The kid zone invites children to spend time there with bright pops of color and a mix of soft and hard furniture. Custom-designed acoustic ceiling baffles both provide visual interest and dampen sound.
“The community let us know we needed a modern, expanded library, a place to connect, create, and collaborate, and we are truly pleased with how this renovation and expansion turned out,” Diane Cunningham Redden, CHPL board of trustees president, said in a statement.
One sign of the project’s success: The library had to invest in an additional computer terminal to handle the volume of checkouts.
On the Building Team:
Client: Cincinnati & Hamilton County Public Library
Architecture and design: GBBN
Civil engineer: Bayer Becker
Structural engineer: Schaefer
MEP engineer: Motz Engineering
Technology: BCL Enterprise
Contractor: Perkins/Carmack
Related Stories
Giants 400 | Aug 19, 2022
2022 Giants 400 Report: Tracking the nation's largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms
Now 46 years running, Building Design+Construction's 2022 Giants 400 Report rankings the largest architecture, engineering, and construction firms in the U.S. This year a record 519 AEC firms participated in BD+C's Giants 400 report. The final report includes more than 130 rankings across 25 building sectors and specialty categories.
Cultural Facilities | Aug 5, 2022
A time and a place: Telling American stories through architecture
As the United States enters the year 2026, it will commence celebrating a cycle of Sestercentennials, or 250th anniversaries, of historic and cultural events across the land.
Libraries | Jul 20, 2022
Canada to open one of the world’s largest library and archive facilities
When it opens in 2026, Ādisōke is expected to be one of the largest library and archive facilities in the world.
Libraries | Jul 5, 2022
Libraries, despite digital disruption, remain community assets
Washington D.C. is executing a master plan to build local facilities that can adapt to changing technologies.
Libraries | Jun 21, 2022
Kingston, Ontario, library branch renovation cuts energy use to 55% of benchmark
A recent renovation of the Kingston (Ontario) Frontenac Public Library Central Branch greatly boosted energy and water efficiency while making the facility healthier and safer.
Libraries | Jun 8, 2022
Welcome to the hybrid library
Libraries have grown to become the intellectual and social hubs of campus, where, prior to March 2020, students, researchers, and faculty gathered to collaborate and connect.
K-12 Schools | Mar 8, 2022
Design delivers new media messages for schools
Media centers are no longer physically confined to one room.
University Buildings | Feb 18, 2022
On-campus performing arts centers and museums can be talent magnets for universities
Cultural facilities are changing the way prospective students and parents view higher education campuses.
University Buildings | Feb 18, 2022
UPenn converts a library past its prime to a tech-integrated learning and maker
In September 2021, Penn reopened its renovated and expanded library as an open center for cross-disciplinary learning, prototyping, and collaboration. Now called Biotech Commons, the 17,000-sf building supports new modes of research by offering a range of spaces and services that is free to be scheduled by any student or faculty member.
Libraries | Nov 22, 2021
Atlanta’s Central Library completes its $50 million renovation
Cooper Carry in association with Vines Architecture designed the project.