When WorkAC responded to an RFP in 2018 for the design of a new library in North Boulder, Colorado, the New York firm put community feedback above flashy form-making. Whereas other competitors submitted proposals that sought to focus on aesthetics – in response to the RFP’s call for an “iconic” building – principals Amale Andraos and Dan Wood instead dialled into how the building would make a positive impact, socially and environmentally, on its striking surroundings at the intersection of the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains. Against this rugged backdrop is a diverse area with specific needs – a mix of new developments for young professionals, art studios, galleries, and two manufactured home communities for Boulder’s largest Spanish-speaking constituency.
Situated on a triangular plot, the 1,190-square-metre building nods to the natural peaks in the distance but with a rational geometry that the architects describe as a “convergence of triangular forms.” Its appearance morphs according to vantage point: On the south elevation, a cool metal façade of standing seam cladding is interrupted by buoyant hits of yellow – in the balcony cutout of the entrance tower and in a joyful spiral slide. The north and east elevations, by contrast, are wrapped in warm cedar panels that alternate in orientation to resemble patchwork. A gentle ramp leads to the second-floor terrace and a triangular roof plane is furnished with solar panels. The volumetric composition, which is actually pentagonal in plan, abounds with texture, materiality and vibrancy.
The neighbourhood had been waiting for the library for 25 years. So when it came time to conceptualize the building, WorkAC made sure to get it right, through a rigorous engagement process. The firm’s years-long project included “more than 20 public presentations of the design during different phases to community groups, politicians, and stakeholders.” It’s a tried and true approach: When WorkAC was designing the Adams Street Library, completed in Brooklyn in 2023, it reached out to numerous Brooklyn neighbourhoods and housing authority developments.
For the North Boulder Library, the extensive consultation informed the programs, which then informed the design. The people wanted the library to provide a program called Boulder Reads, which supports literacy for children and adults; and a “Maker Kitchen,” a mashup of a maker space and community garden/kitchen. In the completed building, these two elements are found on the main floor, which is divided into a large reading room and a children’s area with a story-time nook; a rope-climbing structure provides access to the slide, which drops children off on the new outdoor playground. Inside, the building’s architectural dynamism is translated into energizing floor plans and spatial setups.
The second floor acts as the major community zone. After regular hours, when the library is closed, its ESL classrooms and community spaces remain accessible, thanks to the ramp that leads from the building’s lower northern side to the second-floor terrace. (The modest-sized building has four entrances in total.) This simple programmatic and design mechanism allows for the building to fulfill its role as a community hub, day and evening. And the gesture is appropriately celebratory: A public art installation by Montreal’s Daily tous les jours plays music as users stroll up and down the ramp.
Demonstrating just how important this new amenity was for the community, more than 3,000 people attended the opening ceremony in June. It serves as yet more proof that libraries – and great design – are eternal.
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