Portage District Library

Renovation

Portage, Michigan

Around the exterior of Portage District Library, blue tones, glass, and cresting curves evoke Michigan’s Great Lakes. Inside, unclear wayfinding and insufficient space detracted from the effect. It was time for a renovation.

C2AE initially developed a menu of building improvements that the library could implement as funding arose. But after the local school district passed a major bond program, the library shifted gears, opting to make all of the recommended improvements at once. This ultimately saved PDL a million dollars in project costs.

Among the renovations were two expansions and an interior facelift. Dark blues were replaced with a variety of brighter, more playful colors. An ADA-compliant ramp into the main entrance increases the building's accessibility. The transformed facility features a new maker space, a variety of flexible furniture, updated offices, and a comfortable dining area. Finally, clearer wayfinding encourages guests to get lost in plotlines, not hallways.