University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Golda Meir Library Master Plan

McMillan Pazdan Smith, in association with James G Otto Architects, was commissioned by the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee to develop a master plan for the 300,000+ SF Golda Meir Library. The process began with an intensive, on-site five-day planning charrette with library administration, staff, students and stakeholders to identify how the deficiencies in the current layout could be transformed to meet the current and future programmatic needs and activities in a new, reconfigured library. The University wanted to create a research commons, digital media commons, expand small group and collaborative study space, grow the Special Collections and Archives, as well as increase the overall capacity for seating and instruction space.

Once a future master plan for the existing library was created that responded to the identified needs and goals for the library and addressed how to reduce and house the library’s vast print collection; our firm developed a detailed “Road Map” that laid out a sequential phasing plan to execute the overall renovation though a series of small, more affordable interventions while remaining operational.

In association with James G Otto Architects