Alise O'Brien
When the team at Arcturis designed the first stand-alone branch of the St. Louis County Library in Eureka Hills, they created a physical environment that not only houses books, but that also engages both library patrons and the community.
“A lot of thought went into the planning of the Eureka Hills branch,” says Amy Edwards, interior design leader for Arcturis. “Today, libraries have so many programs over and above the access to books and media, and this branch supports that well.”
The library's distinctive design includes a colorful, interactive children’s area, a vibrant teen space, a business center complete with fax machines, copiers, and scanning capabilities; a community meeting room with areas for break-out sessions, a common space with a laptop bar, and an outdoor reading patio.
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“We’ve learned from our corporate clients to plan two things into every project—access to daylight, whether through views or outdoor space, and choices within the environment. The library’s distinct areas include different seating types—tall and short, nooks, and groupings. Having those scenarios helps people get comfortable.”
Kristen Sorth, director of St. Louis County Library, says that the design fits the patrons. “The design is about transparency. Patrons can look out and they can see in. If they want quiet, or if they want to be in the thick of things, it’s possible here,” she says.
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Sorth is impressed by the design of the teen space and the interactive area for children.
“I think the teen space is a great addition,” she says. “It’s their own space. It's fun but it also has study space.”
The library system has always supported having an enclave where teens can enjoy a degree of autonomy, says Edwards. “We designed [this teen space] as a cozy hangout, as a place to connect with other teens, or maybe even read a book."
In the children's area, the use of a honeycomb motif was intentional. “We deliberately chose the shape because kids are attracted to small cubbyholes," says Edwards. "The space we created is not only a reading nook, but a play environment that contributes to engagement that is safe and easily monitored by parents."
The library was built on undeveloped land purchased from Six Flags at a good price. “We couldn’t pass up the opportunity,” says Sorth, “so we used capital dollars to put in a full-service library branch.” McBride Homes contributed $100,000 toward the project.
While cooperation by civic and business partners moved the build forward, Arcturis focused on the design.
“We incorporated all of our disciplines on Eureka Hills,” says Edwards. “Our expertise in landscape design, architecture, interior design, lighting design, environmental graphics, and branding resulted in an integrated design. We’ve been excited to work with our library clients. It’s the icing on the cake.”
