The transformation of a 1970s-era library into a warm and light-filled gathering space shaped by community needs and desires.

Kingsgate Library is a well-loved neighborhood Library that was originally considered a good candidate for “tear down and replace.” However, based on budget constraints, and strong input from its diverse northeast suburban Seattle community, the decision was made to re-model the existing facility instead.

The most striking transformation is the creation of a slatted-wood vaulted ceiling, floating beneath skylights, that gently fills the library with natural light. The highest priority for this community library was to maximize services to children. At the heart of the remodel is the expanded children’s area that provides dedicated computer space and showcases the library’s treasured five-panel mural by Ann Gates Fiser. The new teen area is relocated to the opposite side of the library to respect each group’s sense of identity. A new entrance and floor-to-ceiling windows strengthen the connection to the building’s natural, wooded setting. To provide the community with more flexibility we added new study rooms and a large glass community meeting room that provides increased usable library space when meetings are not in session. Completely new HVAC, electrical, and technological systems make the new library more energy-efficient and digitally capable.

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