The Design-Build Institute of America (DBIA) has honored the Chicago Public Library, Chinatown Branch as a winner of the 2016 National Design-Build Project Team Awards. The program celebrates projects and teams that demonstrate design-build best practices, contracting methods, teaming strategies, and innovative design solutions. The Chinatown Branch library has been recognized in the Civic/Assembly category.
SOM was selected by the Public Building Commission of Chicago? to provide design-build services for the Chinatown Branch library, in collaboration with Wight & Company, the architect of record. The awards jury commended the design team’s ability to customize the prototypical design to address the needs of a unique and diverse community, while delivering the project within a modest budget.
Since opening in August 2015, the library has served as a civic, educational, and social hub for Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood, with a flexible design that accommodates a range of community activities. The building is designed to achieve LEED® Gold status.