Southwest Library

Southwest Library’s design creates a sense of arrival, connecting visitors to an adjacent park while allowing them a safe space to work, rest, and discover.

The library’s distinctive form is capped with a roofline inspired by the bold mid-century architecture of D.C.’s Southwest neighborhood. Its folded design reinterprets the geometry of historic cast-in-place concrete roof outlines of the 1950’s, executed with modern connection technologies and low-carbon materials. The building features a mass timber superstructure with a dowel-laminated floor and roof construction. It has also achieved LEED Platinum Certification for environmental design, integrating energy and water conservation strategies and locally sourced, environmentally responsive materials.

During early design phases, the Southwest community was engaged to obtain crucial feedback that informed and inspired the design solutions. Designers learned that the community needed a library that could provide state-of-the-art technology, and spaces for gathering, training and education; they also voiced specific requests such as covered reading terraces overlooking the park. The project includes an innovation lab with 3D printers, rows of computers divided into specific zones, children’s areas with interactive activity spaces. and glazed enclosed meeting rooms of different sizes to accommodate a wide range of potential uses.

Awards:
AIA Interior Architecture Award, AIA National, 2023
AIA DC Chapter Design Awards, 2022
Award of Merit in Institutional Architecture, AIA NOVA, 2021