We’re proud that two Group 4 projects, Sacramento Public Library’s Martin Luther King, Jr. Library and the College of Marin Center for Student Success, are featured in Library Journal’s Year in Architecture 2026. One reinvents a beloved 1970 neighborhood branch; the other creates a new campus heart. Different scales, different communities, one approach: place-based architecture shaped by deep listening.

Big Impact Within Existing Walls

Featured in LJ’s “More with Less” trend, the MLK Jr. Library shows that transformation doesn’t require a bigger building. Within the existing footprint, we uncovered what the community already loved (soaring ceilings, warm wood structure, generous daylight) and layered in bold color, a larger community room, study rooms, spaces for kids and teens, and The Studio, a new hub for creativity and media. Its African American Special Collection now takes center stage.

A Campus Hub Rooted in Place

Highlighted in LJ’s “Extending into the Neighborhood” trend, the Center for Student Success unites the library, learning support and student services under one roof. Set into the hillside, each level opens outward: to Corte Madera Creek, the campus quad and a third-floor terrace framing Mt. Tamalpais. It’s a welcoming front door for students and Kentfield neighbors.

Listening Grounds Every Design

In Sacramento, more than 525 residents weighed in through multilingual surveys, pop-up kiosks and meetings, and chose the design theme, “Vibrant Heart.” At College of Marin, hundreds of students, neighbors and partners shaped the building’s guiding goals. That engagement roots each building in its place.

What Comes Next

Libraries are evolving fast, and these projects point the way: flexible, welcoming spaces built to grow with their communities. We’re carrying these lessons into our next projects, and we can’t wait to share what’s ahead.