Teeple Architects, in association with Stantec, has completed the $84.5-million, 230,000-sf renovation and expansion project of the existing Edmonton Public Library (EPL) main branch into an innovative and welcoming civic hub.
Now named the Stanley A. Milner Library, the facility originally opened as Edmonton’s Centennial Library in 1967. The renovation and expansion project actively supports the library’s position as a social and creative destination at its prominent downtown location on Sir Winston Churchill Square.
The original scope of the project included replacing the building’s exterior precast panels with a new energy efficient zinc building envelope with expanses of glazing, upgrading several aging building systems, activating the civic space around the building, and creating a new architectural identity to foster greater community engagement.
The public is invited inside the building via colored skylights, glazing panels, EPL signage, and a new plaza with clear views into the library’s programming, transforming the new library into a welcoming portal between Sir Winston Churchill Square and Centennial Square.
After collaboration with EPL and the City of Edmonton the project was expanded to include a comprehensive interior renovation. Visitors enter into a bright six-story atrium defined by a new “reading ramp” and a two-story interactive display wall. Basement lobby space for the the building’s theater and event rooms is now visible through voids in the floor.
New amenities spaces include large galleria spaces, a cafe, a multi-functional children’s library, maker spaces, a gaming space, a teaching kitchen, meeting spaces, administrative offices, and the PÎYÊSÎW WÂSKÂHIKAN (Thunderbird House), an Indigenous gathering and smudging space designed in consultation with local Cree Elders and their communities.
The Shelley Milner Children’s Library nearly triples the size of the original children’s area and hosts the Gwyn Morgan & Patricia Trottier Foundation Early Literacy Centre, the Brown Family Playspace, and the Al & Fran Olson Children’s Makerspace for ages 6-12.
The Makerspace on the second floor is for ages 12 and up and encompasses 10,000 sf. It comprises 3D printers, a heat press, a vinyl cutter, a sewing and serving center, a book binding area, a fully equipped Fab Lab with a laser cutter, a computer lab, a digital conversion services center, and recording studios.
The Stanley A. Milner Library Renewal project was completed in 2020.
Related Stories
| Oct 9, 2014
Regulations, demand will accelerate revenue from zero energy buildings, according to study
A new study by Navigant Research projects that public- and private-sector efforts to lower the carbon footprint of new and renovated commercial and residential structures will boost the annual revenue generated by commercial and residential zero energy buildings over the next 20 years by 122.5%, to $1.4 trillion.
| Sep 29, 2014
Snøhetta releases final plan for terraced central library in Calgary
The competition-winning New Central Library is now in the final design stages, after two years of community engagement on the part of design firms Snøhetta and DIALOG.
| Sep 24, 2014
Architecture billings see continued strength, led by institutional sector
On the heels of recording its strongest pace of growth since 2007, there continues to be an increasing level of demand for design services signaled in the latest Architecture Billings Index.
| Sep 22, 2014
4 keys to effective post-occupancy evaluations
Perkins+Will's Janice Barnes covers the four steps that designers should take to create POEs that provide design direction and measure design effectiveness.
| Sep 22, 2014
Sound selections: 12 great choices for ceilings and acoustical walls
From metal mesh panels to concealed-suspension ceilings, here's our roundup of the latest acoustical ceiling and wall products.
| Sep 9, 2014
Using Facebook to transform workplace design
As part of our ongoing studies of how building design influences human behavior in today’s social media-driven world, HOK’s workplace strategists had an idea: Leverage the power of social media to collect data about how people feel about their workplaces and the type of spaces they need to succeed.
| Sep 7, 2014
Behind the scenes of integrated project delivery — successful tools and applications
The underlying variables and tools used to manage collaboration between teams is ultimately the driving for success with IPD, writes CBRE Healthcare's Megan Donham.
| Sep 3, 2014
New designation launched to streamline LEED review process
The LEED Proven Provider designation is designed to minimize the need for additional work during the project review process.
| Sep 2, 2014
Ranked: Top green building sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
AECOM, Gensler, and Turner top BD+C's rankings of the nation's largest green design and construction firms.
| Aug 25, 2014
Ranked: Top cultural facility sector AEC firms [2014 Giants 300 Report]
Arup, Gensler, and Turner head BD+C's rankings of design and construction firms with the most revenue from cultural facility projects, as reported in the 2014 Giants 300 Report.
