Building Design + Construction Magazine Recognizes National “Giants” in Library Architecture
Quinn Evans is ranked #1 among public library architects in Building Design + Construction magazine’s “2023 Giants” report. The rankings, based on 2022 data, show Quinn Evans’ revenue for public library work at almost twice that of the next firm.
The firm is a leader in the design of both new libraries and renovations of existing facilities. Quinn Evans’ new libraries include Varina Library, winner of a national Library Building Award from the American Institute of Architects & American Library Association; North East Library in Cecil County, Maryland; and Fairfield Library in Henrico, Virginia. Library renovations and expansions include Allegan District Library in Allegan, Michigan; the North Branch of the Clinton-Macomb Public Library in Macomb, Michigan; Arvonne Fraser Library in Minneapolis, Minnesota; and the just-opened Carnegie-Schadde Memorial Public Library in Baraboo, Wisconsin.
Quinn Evans has several exciting library projects on the boards. Existing building renewals include the Southeast Library in Washington, DC; Woodlawn Branch Library in Baltimore County, Maryland; and Saline District Library in Saline, Michigan. The firm is also designing a new home for the Newark Free Library in New Castle County, Delaware; and transforming a historic school building in Newport News, Virginia, into the Huntington Miller Bailey Center: a combined library, community center, and aquatic facility.
“Our first focus is on library services – spaces come second,” says Quinn Evans principal Ann Dilcher, AIA, LEED AP. “Every library community is different. Once we understand how the library is being used and whether there are any services that should be amplified or new audiences that should be served, then we can work as a team to create beautiful spaces that support the staff’s and community’s unique goals.”
Principal Shannon Wray, CID, IIDA, LEED AP notes that today’s public libraries provide far more than print materials. “The library is the center of many communities. As a place open and available to all, the library’s design must create a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment.”
