The Orchard Park branch of the Meridian Library occupies a 15,000-SF space within Orchard Park, an approximately 80-acre mixed-use development.
Library improvements included exterior upgrades and significant interior tenant improvements. CSHQA’s engineering team completed the overall scope of civil, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing (MEP) engineering in conjunction with CSHQA’s architecture team, who focused on the exterior. Extensive collaboration made this distinctive space possible.
Conceptually the building’s form is derived from a modern farmhouse/barn aesthetic reflecting the agricultural history of Meridian, supplemented by modern planar forms supporting the development’s overall design theme. The library is an anchor for the development’s central plaza, which will be flanked by restaurant and retail spaces where visitors can socialize and explore numerous food options in an engaging outdoor environment.
The entire site was designed to accommodate all ADA considerations, such as ease of wayfinding, accessible heights, soft material selections, utilization of sensory spaces, inclusive design for how the space is traversed, and more, making it a unique community asset within the region.
Notable features include:
- A 24-hour holds pickup room and a drive-up book return.
- A sensory space for all ages where the relaxing lighting, gentle noises, and tactile features in the installations support sensory processing needs.
- An active child area designed to support young children as they learn through play, equipped with interactive panels, infant wall mirrors, and reading mats. Library staff curates a rotating selection of activities to engage children while empowering parents and caregivers in their roles as a child’s earliest and most important teachers.
- An interactive learning lab, adaptable for various community programs supporting literacy and STEAM education for all ages. With Rocky Mountain High School just down the road, teens in particular benefit from these after-school learning opportunities.
Interior architecture done by MSR Design.
