The Alfred Noble Library is located in Livonia, Michigan just outside the City of Detroit. This midcentury inspired structure was designed by world-renowned architect Gunnar Birkerts. Mr. Birkerts first came to the state after he was invited by Minoru Yamasaki to join his firm in Birmingham, MI. He left Yamasaki in 1959 to establish the partnership of Birkerts and Straub and spent the better part of his life, living, working, and teaching (University of Michigan) in southeastern Michigan. The library got its name from the Livonia Historical Society who lobbied to recognize one of the city’s most famous residents, engineer Alfred Noble (Soo Locks/Panama Canal). The library opened its doors in 1967 and closed those doors permanently in 2019 due to unaddressed/long-term water issues that ultimately resulted in unsafe mold conditions.
