About this Library

The James and Anne Duderstadt Center, originally called the Media Union, occupies a central spot on the Diag of the University of Michigan’s North Campus.  Housing the Art, Architecture & Engineering Library, multi-media spaces, performance studios, and numerous visualization and virtual reality technology labs, the building provides a nexus for creative and technological innovation across disciplines.  

 

Designed by Albert Kahn Associates of Detroit, the building opened its doors in 1996.  A vast north-facing expanse of glass illuminates the 1st floor atrium, its colorful mural “Euclid’s Comet” by Dorothea Rockburne, and 2nd floor library lobby.  The pyramidal skylight over the center of the building further enhances the openness of the core space.  Indirect lighting provides a glare-free setting for individual and group study and library shelving areas.  Conceived with flexibility in mind, the space is quickly adapting to the wireless environment and the increasing need for group workspaces.

 

For further reading about our building, its design and purpose, please see the following: