Louisville South Central Regional Library Louisville, Kentucky

Services Provided

Planning & Design
Landscape Architecture

Outcomes

LEED Gold certified

Home Decor’s ‘4 Most Beautiful Libraries in the World’

2022 AIA ASPIRE Honor Award

2019 AIA/American Library Association Library Building Award

2018 KY ASLA Merit Award

People Involved

Andy Knight
Ryan Blume

Library extends indoor experience to outdoor gathering spaces for visitors

MKSK worked with Louisville Free Public Library to design and construct a new regional library in south Louisville. Covered with existing mature trees, MKSK worked closely with the client and the design team to position the building and parking on the site in a manner that retains a majority of the tree canopy and incorporates them into the overall experience of the library for visitors and staff.

The plan proposes expansive views from within the library to the woodland setting, and incorporates a large tree covered island within the permeable parking areas that includes areas for reading and outdoor gathering, effectively extending the library experience into the surrounding landscape, both visually and physically. MKSK also worked closely with the project team to develop a building and site design to achieve LEED Gold status. The site design strategies include sustainable stormwater management, protection of existing mature trees, local/regional materials, and native plant selection.