There’s still time to nominate local icons for Best of D.C.
The D.C. Public Library has selected 10 architect firms to move on to the next stage in the process to choose a design for the renovation of the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library.
The District’s central library is 41 years old and in need of a facelift. Its redevelopment poses challenges for any would-be architect and developer, including the historic nature of the Ludwig Mies van der Rohe-designed building, which precludes major alterations to the building’s appearance, and the opposition to the expected mixed-use development from members of a vocal group founded and funded by Ralph Nader.
Twenty-six architect firms responded to the city’s request for qualifications by the Sept. 23 deadline. DCPL selected 10 of those firms today and invited them to respond to a “request for technical proposal.” Responses are due by Nov. 18 and are not actual design concepts; rather, they’ll be judged on their approach to the project, their personnel, and their ability to comply with the city’s Certified Business Enterprise program. DCPL will choose three of those firms in mid-December to submit design concepts and present them to the public in the spring.
DCPL has also created a crowdsourcing platform for ideas from the public on what the renovation of MLK should entail. That platform can be found here.
The 10 firms invited to the next round are:
Photo by Aaron Wiener