Six months after the design was revealed, Madison's Central Library Plan received final approval from the Urban Design Commission Wednesday.
Library architect Doug Hursh designed the building to satisfy requests from the commission and the public, including a roof with green space and floor-to-ceiling windows.
Committee member Dawn O'Kroley said the library is ""beautifully done with great attention to the existing structure.""
""The responsibility and sustainability in maintaining it and the financial responsibility of how it's being preserved and reused is very well done,"" O'Kroley said.
Committee member John Harrington proposed further encouragement for a full green roof instead of the ""L""-shaped green space currently in the design.
""It works as a functional cooling system as well as a storm water storage system,"" Harrington said, adding the city should look to do the same with other buildings.
Architects most recently added 47 bike stalls around the perimeter of the building, and moved the sidewalk at the building's entrance out two feet to create more space for pedestrians.
Committee members were previously concerned about the library's glass design being too similar to the neighboring Overture Center's, but O'Kroley said the playfulness in detail brought to the glass makes it dynamic.
Architects will also seek approval from the public and the commission about signs outside the library, which commission members said are integral to the library's branding. The design's letters, reading ""Madison Public Library,"" are currently three feet tall and made of zinc panel that is routed and backlit with LED's that change color.
Architects also said the building will offer a fair amount of transparency, so pedestrians can see what's going on inside.
""In the end, it has come down to being as clean as possible,"" Hursh said.
Hursh will now present the Central Library design plan to Madison's Plan Commission May 2.
