Gateway Public Library

Gateway Library reimagines the public library as an open, welcoming civic gathering place shaped by the landscape and daily life of its community.

Located within a neighborhood park in Mesa, Arizona, the 28,000-square-foot library serves residents of all ages while creating strong connections to an adjacent school, nearby neighborhoods, and the park’s lake and recreation spaces.

The design reflects the City of Mesa’s vision for its library system: “Curiosity, learning, connection, inspiration, creativity, and dreaming starts here.” The building brings that vision to life through a flexible, accessible environment that encourages visitors to explore, gather, create, and discover.

The library is organized as a continuous public hall beneath a dramatic folded roof. Within this shared volume, individual program areas, including children’s services, a teen lounge, makerspace, community room, study spaces, and adult reading areas, are arranged as distinct “market stands.” This approach allows visitors to easily understand and navigate the building while maintaining visual connections across the library.

Three primary entrances align with existing pedestrian routes through the park, allowing the building to function as a crossroads rather than a single-fronted institution. Deep roof overhangs, shaded outdoor rooms, carefully controlled daylight, and a durable weathering-steel exterior respond to the intense Sonoran Desert climate. Along the south side, a reading terrace overlooks the lake, while rainwater collected from the roof is stored in large cisterns for later landscape use.

Since opening, Gateway Library has quickly become one of Mesa’s most heavily used library branches, supporting learning, creativity, social connection, and community life throughout the day.

Awards:
2026 IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations) - Public Library of the Year Award Shortlisted
2026 ALA IIDA Library Interior Design Award
2024 ALA IIDA Library Interior Design Award, Unbuilt