丨美国华盛顿丨Perkins Eastman

Cleveland Park Public Library

Washington, DC

A new library in a historic neighborhood that will be cherished for generations to come.

Located on one of Northwest Washington, DC’s main thoroughfares, Connecticut Avenue, the new Cleveland Park Library replaces a beloved yet dated community building. Working in collaboration with Perkins Eastman DC, the District of Columbia Public Library, and community members, Perkins Eastman helped to design a modern multi-functioning facility with children’s and adult  collections, large, flexible meeting rooms, and study spaces of all sizes.  With the new building, Cleveland Park residents can now enjoy diverse areas for quiet study, noisy play, social interaction, or quiet mediation.  In dialogue with residents, the team created a design unique to the neighborhood that serves the needs of all, seamlessly integrating architectural features characteristic of the neighborhood and incorporating treasures from the original building. The building’s primary façade embodies the scale and civic importance of a public library, while the side street façades relate to the single-family homes nearby with large outdoor reading porches and gardens.

Project Facts

Client:

District of Columbia Public Library

Size:

28,850 sq. ft.

Region:

United States

Studios:

Washington, DC

Insights article: “The Power of Architecture and the Promise of Place,” Matthew Bell, Oct. 21, 2025

2023: Included in the sixth edition of the AIA Guide to the Architecture of Washington, DC

Matthew Bell and Tim Bertschinger discuss the library design with Cleveland Park Main Street and DC Public Libraries