Elkhart Public Library

Branching Out

Elkhart, Indiana

MKM provided a feasibility analysis aimed at defining the priorities for facility improvements across the library’s four branch locations, which included: the Osolo Branch, Pierre Moran Branch, Dunlap Branch, and Cleveland Branch. Through this process, the design team reacted to public input, staff, and stakeholder interviews and developed a series of strategies intended to strengthen the library’s ability to serve each respective community. These recommendations were then incorporated into a series of design solutions that defined the scope of renovation and expansion at each location.

The project worked to formalize a series of design standards to unify the patron experience and service lines at each location, including decentralized circulation, natural light, centralized hearth, and enhanced outdoor programming space.