New Lots Library Design Unveiling
We are thrilled to celebrate the unveiling of the design for the New Lots Library. MFA partnered with MASS Design Group and worked closely with Brooklyn Public Library and the East New York community to reimagine how a new public library can serve as a beacon of restorative justice, honoring the history of its site while creating new opportunities for celebration, connection, storytelling, and healing. Developed through a robust community engagement process, the design reflects a deep dialogue with the East New York community about their past, present, and vision for the future.
The new 25,000-square-foot library will replace the existing branch, expanding access to essential educational and cultural resources for generations to come. Thoughtfully designed to foster solidarity and shared memory, the space embodies a commitment to renewal and community-driven growth. At its core, the design for the library acknowledges the historic African burial ground on which the current library stands, providing a new space for reflection, renewal, and reconciliation.
Programming includes dedicated reading and music rooms, learning and exhibition spaces, an auditorium for community events, and outdoor areas for gathering and reflection.
“Public libraries are some of the most trusted places in our city, and each branch library has an opportunity to be responsive to the unique needs of their community. The Brooklyn Public Library continues to demonstrate their commitment to their communities, supporting designs that offer transformative visions for their libraries,” said Karen Fairbanks, Founding Partner of Marble Fairbanks Architects. “Here at the New Lots Library, we hope this project expands that trust by acknowledging past wrongs and offering spaces inside and out that empower the East New York community to grow, to make, to learn, to advocate and to continue their journey.”
By embedding these spaces within the community, the New Lots Library will be an anchor of social infrastructure in the New Lots and Brooklyn community—strengthening inclusion, deepening community connections, and contributing toward a more equitable future.