Cultural, Education

Kanawha County Public Library

Scope

Additions
Historic Preservation
Interior Renovations

Year

2022

Location

Charleston, WV

size

80,000 gsf

awards

Honor Award - AIA West Virginia; Honor Award - AIA Cleveland

The project direction for the re-imagination of the KCPL was focused equally on programmatic relevance and architectural transformation. Rethinking library services most valuable to an historic downtown, its residents, businesses, and visitors, the project required a significant increase in space – providing more opportunities for people to meet and engage. A new addition, architecturally marking its place in time through crisp, modern design and detailing, physically embraces the iconic, century-old classical structure.

 

 

A new pedestrian bridge spanning Quarrier Street provides secure, covered connection to a public parking garage, and the improvements include large and small meeting and study rooms, a café, maker space, and outdoor public gardens and plazas for both programmed and spontaneous use.

Through the reimagined project, the Kanawha County Public Library will revive a landmark in downtown Charleston and bring a vibrant, animated space to serve as the community’s living/learning room.

 

* In Association with HBM Architects

All of us who call Kanawha County home, West Virginia home, Southern West Virginia home, Charleston home, we should be proud in the knowledge that this is truly cutting edge. This is the vanguard of libraries and something that will be an asset and treasure to our community for decades to come.

Tom Heywood, Chairman and President Kanawha County Public Library Foundation

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