Mary Idema Pew Library wins award in building excellence

The Mary Idema Pew Library Learning and Information Commons recently received an Honorable Mention Award from the 2014 Building Excellence Awards presented by the Education Design Showcase.

The Building Excellence Awards celebrate the outstanding K-12 and higher education facility designs featured on the Education Design Showcase website.

The online, interactive showcase is a database designed to be an idea-generation resource for architects, facility planners and others involved in the planning, design and construction of education facilities nationwide. The site is an outlet for sharing innovative, yet practical, solutions in the planning, design and construction of educational facilities. Users can search for projects based on project size, cost, location, funding method, sustainability, and more.

The showcase’s jury praises the Mary Idema Pew Library for its ability to bridge the gap between the classroom and workplace by providing a framework of free access to knowledge and continuous learning opportunities for students outside the classroom.

The award-winning projects displayed on the site were evaluated by a jury of administrators, architects, and facility planners for excellence in design and functional planning directed toward meeting the needs of an education program.  Some of the primary considerations were given to innovation and creativity, efficient use of space, planned flexibility to accommodate change, accessibility for all users, and attention to the environment, maintenance and energy use among others.