providence public library
empire street renovation
Providence, Rhode Island
“Whether it’s critical education and learning opportunities, providing digital empowerment to teens and adults, or offering an array of enrichment experiences, PPL has adapted and responded to the changing needs of our community. ”
The Providence Public Library (PPL) recently underwent Rhode Island’s largest-ever public library renovation, totaling $25M and 85,000 SF.
The design approach was to maximize the potential of the inherited building while integrating the service models and amenities of tomorrow’s library. Drastic space use shifts were needed to convert from the “grocery store” model, where patrons borrow materials and consume them offsite, to the “kitchen” model, where patrons gain experience through interactive programs, creation, and collaboration within the library. Overlaid on the program evolution, the new Executive Director ushered in a high-energy attitude that was manifested in the design: vibrancy signals excitement around the library’s possibilities.
Two major interventions facilitated change. The first was the consolidation of stack and staff areas to yield more space for public programs— main library services were lifted a floor to afford street level access to prime amenities & opportunities for community partnerships. Second, a grand stair and atrium was introduced for clear orientation and to improve first impressions. The new entry sequence welcomes visitors and makes immediate visual connections to all the library holds.
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Type: Renovation
Size: 85,000 SF
Status: Completed, 2020
Program: Public Library, 2020
Photography: Anton Grassl
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2020 Merit Award, Architecture of Rehabilitation, AIA Rhode Island
2020 Library Design Showcase, American Libraries Magazine by ALA
A new welcome desk and grand stair greet visitors making navigation intuitive and comfortable.
A new classroom, accesses through the Workshop, supports educational programs.
The open & airy grand stair connects all three levels of community program space.
The children's library enjoys a new perch and expanded area for young learners to play and explore.
The new teen loft provides a dedicated place for young adults to study, meet, read and attend programs. While it's visually connected to the atrium & grand stair, it is lifted off the main level to create a unique destination.
The special collections reading room is equipped with broad tables, a digital scanner, and light boxes for research using PPL's archival materials.
The new gallery displays PPL collections and also hosts community artists and traveling exhibitions.
Once inaccessible as a collections storage area, the old children's library is now a flexible gathering spaces for programs and events. The story book mural (painted 1935) is visible once again.
The Senator Jack Reid Info Commons overlooks Empire Street and boasts a variety of seating, from window nooks to cozy chairs as well as a computer workstations and a hightop work bar along the atrium.
Prior to the renovation, the library’s services were scattered across large swaths of space without a specific program or purpose, and lacked a clear organization system. “Where are the books?!” was a common remark heard from patrons as they wandered through the maze.
A key driver of the renovation was to address those issues of access. A multi-story atrium brings light and transparency into the building. Spanning all three stories, the atrium serves as the central organizing feature of the Empire Street Wing.
One of the more radical changes the library made was lifting the core library functions one level above the street, in order to give prime real estate to partnership venues. All primary functions can now be accessed off the central stair.
access & transparency
before
after
PPL’s colorful branding served as a reference point for the renovation’s furniture and finishes palette. The Library Director wanted a space that felt alive and energetic— a complete 180 from the existing conditions. The colorful palette strays from that of a traditional Library, reflecting the vibrancy of the programming within.
vibrant brand, vibrant library.
before
impact
PPL provides a wealth of accessible, high quality educational programs and resources to enrich the lives of all patrons, and to strengthen the community and state as a whole. The Library strives to democratize opportunity for RI's most vulnerable populations by offering free programming that empowers learners. Major initiatives that will be elevated to their fullest potential by PPL's new state-of-the-art facility include the PVD Makers Initiative, headquartered in PPL's new Education Workshop and Makerspace; Teen Squads, out-of-school programming for youth, which will finally have a dedicated home in the Library's new Teen Loft; and a full spectrum of adult education, including ESL and citizenship classes.
Teens get a glimpse at some of the special collections holdings.
The Mayor stopped in on PVD Young Makers exploring new tech in the Workshop.
19th century New England whaling logs, from PPL Special Collections, offer clues to climate change.
The weekly ESL Conversation Group are enjoying using the Workshop Classroom for meetings.
Teen painters take over the Workshop.
Providence Mayor Jorge Elorza visited PPL to experience first hand "Rewilding: Alive in the Churn".
The Genesis Center will open the Culinary Hub of Providence (CHOP) at the Providence Public Library in 2022.
A collaborative project between PVD Young Makers and Providence Public Library, "Rewilding: Alive in the Churn" transformed the Library's exhibition gallery into an interactive biome for artists and experimenters.
A collaborative project between PVD Young Makers and Providence Public Library, "Rewilding: Alive in the Churn" transformed the Library's exhibition gallery into an interactive biome for artists and experimenters.