The Martin Luther King Jr Memorial Library in Washington DC is the only building of its typology designed by Ludwig Mies van der Rohe; and one of the last by the modernist master, completed posthumously in 1972. Mecanoo, with local partner OTJ Architects, recently completed a modernisation of the US capital's landmark, and photographer Paul Clemence documented the refresh, offering a virtual tour of the reopened building.
Interventions included reworking the main entrance and circulation cores to increase transparency and capacity; designating the centrally placed Great Hall as a space for events to become the library's heart; and removing columns and partitions on upper floors to create the flowing and flexible Upper Great Halls.
A new green rooftop terrace was added, as well as a ground level cafe. The reading rooms were refreshed and key areas for children and teens were expanded. As a result of the renovations, the Mies van der Rohe-designed library's public space increased by 60 percent. Now, the structure, which was declared a historic landmark in 2007, can be more open and cater to more visitors.
Delft-based Mecanoo are experts in cultural institutions and libraries; they count the Library of Birmingham and the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts in Taiwan under the belt. Here, they emphasised openness, movement and communal areas, bringing the community to the heart of their design.
‘The vision for the MLK Library revolves around respect for the original architecture while updating the building to a modern library that reflects a focus on people, celebrating the exchange of knowledge, ideas and culture,' say the architects.
INFORMATION
-
Three new smartwatches showcase new frontiers in affordable timepiece designLong may you run: smartwatches from Withit, Kospet and OnePlus favour function and value above all else, demonstrating just how much the smartwatch has evolved in recent years
-
Debuts, dandies, Demi Moore: 25 fashion moments that defined 2025 in style2025 was a watershed year in fashion. As selected by the Wallpaper* style team, here are the 25 moments that defined the zeitgeist
-
The RIBA Asia Pacific Awards reward impactful, mindful architecture – here are the winnersThe 2025 RIBA Asia Pacific Awards mark the accolade’s first year – and span from sustainable mixed-use towers to masterplanning and housing
-
Step inside this resilient, river-facing cabin for a life with ‘less stuff’A tough little cabin designed by architects Wittman Estes, with a big view of the Pacific Northwest's Wenatchee River, is the perfect cosy retreat
-
Remembering Robert A.M. Stern, an architect who discovered possibility in the pastIt's easy to dismiss the late architect as a traditionalist. But Stern was, in fact, a design rebel whose buildings were as distinctly grand and buttoned-up as his chalk-striped suits
-
Own an early John Lautner, perched in LA’s Echo Park hillsThe restored and updated Jules Salkin Residence by John Lautner is a unique piece of Californian design heritage, an early private house by the Frank Lloyd Wright acolyte that points to his future iconic status
-
The Stahl House – an icon of mid-century modernism – is for sale in Los AngelesAfter 65 years in the hands of the same family, the home, also known as Case Study House #22, has been listed for $25 million
-
Houston's Ismaili Centre is the most dazzling new building in America. Here's a look insideLondon-based architect Farshid Moussavi designed a new building open to all – and in the process, has created a gleaming new monument
-
Frank Lloyd Wright’s Fountainhead will be opened to the public for the first timeThe home, a defining example of the architect’s vision for American design, has been acquired by the Mississippi Museum of Art, which will open it to the public, giving visitors the chance to experience Frank Lloyd Wright’s genius firsthand
-
Clad in terracotta, these new Williamsburg homes blend loft living and an organic feelThe Williamsburg homes inside 103 Grand Street, designed by Brooklyn-based architects Of Possible, bring together elegant interiors and dramatic outdoor space in a slick, stacked volume
-
This ethereal Miami residence sprouted out of a wild, jungle-like gardenA Miami couple tapped local firm Brillhart Architecture to design them a house that merged Florida vernacular, Paul Rudolph and 'too many plants to count’
