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The Dinsdale Family Learning Commons renovation redefines this University of Nebraska library from a place of quiet study and information storage to an interactive student gathering place that is a beacon for campus activity. Our design opens the exterior façade to directly connect to the outdoor plaza and provides glimpses into and through the building, providing sunlight during the day and enabling the building to shine throughout the evening.

The interior spaces are connected and energized by the centralized, multi-story student activity spaces which organize around highly flexible and easily reconfigurable ‘nodes’ that can accommodate small and large groups. Flexible spaces such as the learning commons, “ask-us” zone, café, presentation room, gallery, and outdoor learning spaces are located in the interstitial areas which naturally creates energy and movement throughout the building. The reading room, offices, project rooms, and testing center offer a quieter structured environment as a backdrop to the action of the other open spaces.

The project also houses the Engler Agribusiness Entrepreneur Center – an incubator studio that provides resources and collaboration space for students to test new and innovative ideas for start-up businesses and The Rural Futures Institute which mobilizes the diverse resources of the University of Nebraska and its partners to support rural communities and regions. We provided architecture; structural, civil, and electrical engineering; and fundraising assistance in collaboration with Stantec who served as library design and program review consultant.