The River Market Civic Library reimagines the contemporary public library as a hybrid civic and work-from-home hub, responding to post-pandemic shifts in how people learn, work, and gather. Located at the intersection of the City Market, adjacent public park space, and the Missouri River, the project is conceived as a connective civic anchor within Kansas City’s River Market district.

Rather than functioning solely as a repository for books, the library prioritizes flexibility, accessibility, and community well-being. Programmatic spaces include traditional reading areas, flexible coworking environments, meeting rooms, a makerspace, children’s learning zones, and outdoor terraces that extend public activity into the landscape. These spaces are organized to support both focused individual work and informal social interaction, reinforcing the library’s role as an inclusive everyday destination.

The building’s form and circulation respond directly to the site’s topography, urban context, and pedestrian flows, creating visual and physical connections between interior spaces, the surrounding market activity, and nearby green space. Daylighting strategies, layered public zones, and material transparency enhance user comfort while strengthening the relationship between the building and its civic surroundings.

Sustainability and wellness are integral to the design, with strategies including passive daylighting, rainwater management, green infrastructure, and flexible interior layouts that support long-term adaptability. The project positions the library as a resilient public space—one that fosters learning, work, and community life while responding to evolving social and environmental needs.