Located on the busiest intersection in the city of Omaha, the project serves as a point of convergence, uniting east and west, north and south. A once a vibrant area for gathering had become a wasteland strewn with vacant buildings and chain retail stores, each with their own identity screaming to be heard through the surrounding noise. Located in a vacant bookstore, the digital library is breathing life into the shell of the past. Free to the public, every member of society can come together and learn. Filled with different types of technology, the facility exposes the public to information they wouldn’t normally have access to. Each space serves as a platform for learning and exploration, providing access for all ages, demographics, and levels of experience.

Jury Comments: This project creates a hopeful example of the type of solution needed by communities suffering the epidemic of the rise and fall of underutilized, disposable buildings. The solution is a visually bold intervention that provides the community inspiring and responsive spaces within a generic building. The interior color scheme is colorful and uplifting without being pandering and is one of the stronger environmental graphic strategies the jury has seen. The space planning is efficient and takes advantage of daylight and views.