Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library honored by IIDA Great Plains Chapter with Excellence Award

The Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library has been honored by the IIDA Great Plains Chapter with an Interior Design Excellence Award .

The vision for the new Ankeny Kirkendall Public Library was to model a traditional town square. The library’s Art Deco proportion and massing are modernized with material choices that lend a sense of endurance and permanence.

On axis with the commercial district and water features, the library anchors the town square.  A two-story open lobby visually and physically connects interior and exterior, while also creating a space for community and civic events that can function in support of the library and meeting rooms.

Furnishings in children’s zones were selected to inspire activity and encourage development of motor skills while reinforcing the natural material palette of the library.

Crisp white walls and subtle wood accents on stairwells, drop ceiling features, and endcapped shelving join light brown, gray, and cool teal to frame vignettes, like the vibrant children’s area.

“We wanted the interior of the library to be reflective of all ages of the community,” said Brett Mendenhall, project manager,” The carpet acts as a wayfinding tool, highlighting circulation paths around the floor openings while also creating clear paths to checkout desks, children’s play areas, and sitting areas.”

Furnishings in children’s zones were selected to inspire activity and encourage development of motor skills while reinforcing the natural material palette of the library. An enclave of sculptural vibrant blue, gray, and green  wood fiber ceiling panels hang above a play area with rounded poufs, built-in displays and bookshelves, and playful cutouts.