The course is envisioned as a forum for developing our understanding of future library facilities as:

• essential elements of civic infrastructure,
• platforms for meaningful community dialog,
• productive “think space” & “do space,” and
• the definitive resource for  information.

We will consider how future library buildings can achieve this while serving as permanent artifacts of contemporary culture and providing flexible environments that can be continually updated and locally relevant.  The course is structured to include a site visit, expert in-class presentations and discussions, and group exercises and reviews as we conceive lasting opportunities for library spaces for the coming decades.  

We will collectively discuss and determine emerging service initiatives developing along the trajectory of 21st-century library evolution. With this background, we will take an illuminating tour of Boston’s Central Library. The BPL will serve as a reference point as we consider the needs of a complete library system.

Then, using our on-site observations, we will do in-class group exercises exploring design solutions that resonate with emerging initiatives.

Additionally, we will explore the influence of external forces shaping library environments, including increasing community diversity, sustainability, and biophilic design. 

• Identify and understand emerging trends in library design and library interiors, while becoming a keener and more nuanced observer of contemporary library spaces
• Understand the role strong design principles and objectives play in guiding library projects
• Apply sustainable design strategies and biophilic principles for libraries.
• Utilize frameworks for shaping library environments for the next generations of library users.
• Become familiar with the nuances of designing and refining a library system, including the relationship between central and branch libraries.

Architects, Interior Designers, Contractors, Urban Planners, Librarians, Library Staff, and Heads of Library Systems