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Turning the outside of the downtown library parking garage
into an iconic Kansas City structure
Called the world’s most inspiring parking structure, iconic book bindings clad the outside of the Kansas City downtown library’s parking garage. In a true community effort, Kansas City residents were asked to help pick titles that represent the city. Rare books were professionally photographed and imaging software modified and placed the titles. An aluminum substructure with clear plexiglass windows through the center of the books allows light into the parking garage. This project not only celebrates books, reading, and the city on a massive scale, it also transforms these modest, familiar objects into monuments infused with hope and possibility.
The simple construction of aluminum with applied large-format graphics is a great case study of how well design-build works with collaboration and a fixed budget. We partnered with JE Dunn, CDFM2, Jonathan Kemper, and MC Lioness on the project, which has won multiple awards, including an SEGD Award and an IDSA award. These oversized books have become the most recognizable and widely discussed additions to Kansas City’s redeveloping core.
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Chad Hutson
Chief Strategy Officer
Chad Hutson has forged a notable career leading teams of creative & technology professionals, building the trust of clients & partners, and helping to transform physical spaces into exceptional experiences for some of the most... more about Chad Hutson
