Located along Connecticut Avenue, one of Northwest Washington DC’s main thoroughfares, the new Cleveland Park Library replaces a beloved but outdated community building. In collaboration with Perkins Eastman DC, the District of Columbia Public Library, and local community members, Perkins Eastman helped to design a modern multi-functional library that includes children’s and adult collections, flexible meeting rooms, and study spaces of all sizes.
The new facility provides Cleveland Park residents with a range of diverse areas for quiet study, noisy play, social interaction, or quiet mediation. Through ongoing dialogue with residents, the design team created a building unique to the neighborhood that serves the needs of all, seamlessly integrating architectural features characteristic of the neighborhood and incorporating treasures from the original building. The building’s primary façade conveys the scale and civic presence expected of a public library, while the side street façades respond to the adjacent single-family homes nearby with large outdoor reading porches and gardens.
