The challenge of the Inspire555 series was to build a meaningful engagement process reaching Indigenous, local and national audiences. It was essential to demonstrate that public input was truly integrated into the design of the facility. The project team used creativity to connect to diverse audiences, including tactile design sessions, online surveys, community pop-ups and stakeholder outreach. The series followed an iterative process that showed how public feedback was being incorporated into the evolving design.

The Inspire555 series is a best practice that can be emulated by other projects to create long-lasting trust with the public and Indigenous communities. The approach responded to a desire by the public to have an active voice reaching across ages, cultures and communities both locally and nationally. The iterative nature of the series gave the design team “live” input, using public feedback to create the first co-designed building in the country. This inclusive approach showed the library’s commitment to building community.

The Inspire555 series has been a tremendous success, creating a new standard for public engagement and a model for large-scale engagement programs at other organizations. Through the building of meaningful relationships with Indigenous communities, library cardholders, Ottawa residents and national stakeholders and generating public buy-in, this series has resulted in a world-class design inspired and shaped by the public, far exceeding expectations for both a major central library and a national public institution.