The Northfield Township Area Library occupies the former Dodge family home in Whitmore Lake. This Barker Road landmark, built before 1850, has been restored to its current handsome appearance with involvement of the Northfield Township Historical Society, whose records are preserved in a second-floor office of the Library. Enormously popular with the community, the 2500 sq. ft. house is bubbling over with library programs and activities taking place under outdoor tents in the summertime.
To best meet the Needs Assessment, our proposed design solution relocates the main entrance to a link between the old and the new, providing a common lobby that can be accessed from front and the rear entrances, the latter being adjacent to parking. A sunken garden protected by atrium glazing allows the basement level to be equally desirable as the main floor, thereby maximizing the square footage of library space accommodated on a very small site.
- Total Size 14,290 SF