Monticello Library is the newest facility in the Johnson County Library family. Its striking silhouette and bold site placement have already made it a western Shawnee landmark. When visitors enter the building on opening day – Sunday, August 5, 2018 if you hadn’t heard – they’ll find a colorful interior as dynamic and engaging as the exterior.
The Monticello exterior features black brick, white-painted metal and dark grey concrete surfaces. These could almost be called austere excepting the vigorous angles of the library’s two stories and the elegant floor-to-ceiling windows of the north and east facades. The handsome external textures and shadowy tones offer a tease and surprising contrast to the bright interior visual adventure.
The building's interior surfaces and textures are inspired by natural forms and colors composed to subtly define different Library spaces. Brilliant ‘high test’ carpeting is installed on both levels, in complementary and contrasting color compositions. Some walls in the roomy Kids areas feature woven acoustical wallcoverings. This makes them especially durable for the many Kids programs we’ll be offering, and useful for the easy display of drawings and posters often seen in our branches.
The richly hued floors lend their palette to feature walls in public areas and meeting rooms throughout the building. These occasionally are framed by subtle wood and brushed laminate textures. Restrooms upstairs and down feature entries and interior walls of shiny, generously proportioned primary-colored tiles set in white or grey mortar. Their vivid grids boldly contrast the planes of walls, ceilings and windows across the Library.
We are eager to welcome you to the new Monticello Library when we open, so you can experience this rewarding aesthetic tour de force yourself!