From the 2026 Educational Interiors Showcase: Oakton Skokie Campus Library Learning Commons
Key Highlights
- The design uses a tree metaphor, with reception as roots, circulation as the trunk, and offices and classrooms as leaves.
- The central circulation area includes an elevator, connecting different levels and spaces seamlessly.
- Secondary pathways link various areas, promoting easy navigation and interaction within the Learning Commons.
- Individual offices, classrooms, and huddle spaces are integrated as 'leaves,' supporting diverse academic activities.
Based on a design concept of introspection and the metaphor of a tree, the design for the Oakton Skokie Campus Library Learning Commons provides a contemporary take on the evolving delivery of college information services. The reception area provides the “roots,” introducing visitors to the “trunk” of the primary central circulation (including an elevator). Secondary paths connect the “branches,” and individual offices, classrooms, and huddle spaces provide the “leaves.”
The Learning Commons is conceived as a hub of academic activity for the entire Oakton community.
Read more about the Oakton Skokie Campus Library Learning Commons and view a photo gallery at SchoolDesigns.com.