Haverford Township Free Library

Havertown, PA

WRT & MDA created a vision for a new and greatly expanded Haverford Township Free Library that is reflective of its cutting-edge service goals. The initial stage involved creating an inspired library building program to guide the expansion, holding community meetings to hear stakeholder ideas, developing site planning and sustainable design strategies, and culminating in a schematic building design for presentation to the community. The Library sought to transform the site of a former industrial complex into a LEED platinum-rated Library, both strong in its architectural statement and in its civic expression. It transforms the site from a brownfield to a park-like town common and re-knits it into the context of the community with a didactic building that actively demonstrates its positive influence on the local environment. Rich in sensory experiences, clear in lessons told, the public library and site will be a catalyst in raising citizen awareness of the value of sustainable strategies in their community.

MDA designgroup with Wallace Roberts Todd