Design Institute Hayward looked at ways to design for inclusion, safety, sustainability, and extending a warm invitation to all.

At LJ’s 2023 Design Institute in Hayward, CA, held at the Hayward Public Library on September 28, five libraries in California and New Mexico enlisted architects and attendees to brainstorm on upcoming library design challenges.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has understandably been a key concern over the past few years, architects and librarians haven’t neglected other important factors in the continuing evolution of libraries in their communities. 

Diversity, equity, and inclusion. These three words are commonplace today and serve as important reminders that opportunities should be made available to everyone. Public libraries share similar goals; their facilities, learning materials, services, and programs are open and available to all.

Libraries have always been much more than just repositories for books and other materials. They’ve also been centers for community learning and brought people together to improve their lives. This goal has become even more important in the digital era.

As many have grown accustomed to spending more time at home, libraries continue to incorporate accessible, small-massed, and residential design elements. Buildings include vaulted roofs and window bump-outs; interiors feature plush carpeting, integrated display shelving in meeting rooms or small reading areas, and cozy fireplaces.

Projects continue to integrate exterior spaces, offering patrons not only outdoor seating but also creative use of the grounds, plus an integration of experience built into the wayfinding, aesthetic, and interior layout within open areas. 

Colors that pop, sophisticated meeting spaces, residential design elements, and more in this year’s top library design trends.

The architects featured in the Year in Architecture 2023