Calumet Library & Community Garden

The Calumet Library and Community Garden is a nonprofit library and acts as a third place for the community that promotes sustainability, socialization, and inclusivity for all. Located in a neighborhood in the south side of Chicago, Illinois, named Riverdale, this area offers a variety of parks and schools as well as open spaces filled with nature. It is located in a Chicago style building built in 1919 and will incorporate many of the original historical elements found in the building such as, the exposed brick, open ceilings, and steel beams. To create a sense of comfort, warm textiles and flooring will be used throughout the spaces to balance the raw architectural materials. The Calumet Public Library and Community Garden emulates a warm, comfortable, and inspiring community hub. This building offers various private and public areas, multiple book stack sections, and separate sections for children and teens. The Calumet also offers access to a café and community garden within the library. By incorporating these spaces into the same building as a library it helps encourage members of the community to be more sociable with each other and further their education and skill sets in a safe and comfortable environment.