The North Boulder Library

Contextual negotiation

The Boulder Public Library issued an open Request for Proposal in 2018 for a new branch library in North Boulder, a project the community had anticipated for over two decades. The proposed vision was to create a library whose iconic status would stem from its sustainability and its positive impact on the community and environment.

Context Integration

The North Boulder Library is situated within a diverse neighborhood that blends new developments for young professionals, art studios, galleries, and two manufactured home communities that include Boulder’s largest Spanish-speaking population. The chosen site is a triangular plot bordered by Broadway to the west and Three Mile Creek to the south, with stunning views to the Boulder Flatirons.

Boulder’s unique geographical position at the intersection of the Rocky Mountains and the Great Plains has historically shaped its rugged architectural vernacular. Consequently, the design celebrates this context, acknowledging the area’s complex relationship with the natural environment. Through its connections with the urban surroundings, the library not only reflects its environment but also enhances its visual and functional relationship with the local community.

Design Philosophy

The design of the North Boulder Library was directly informed by the community’s input, leading to the inclusion of key programs such as Boulder Reads, which supports literacy development for children and adults, and a “Maker Kitchen,” which evolved from the community’s desire for a maker space together with ideas for a community garden and kitchen area.

The building negotiates the triangular site that includes a seasonal creek running diagonally through it with a building that respects the scale of its residential neighbors to the north while opening up to views of the Flatiron Mountains and Rocky Mountain foothills to the south and west. The library is designed with the major community spaces on the second floor. The lower northern side integrates a shallow, fully- accessible ramp that allows these second-floor community and ESL classrooms to open at night when the library is closed, reinforcing the library’s role as a community hub. The building’s design is both intriguing and unexpected. Its irregular geometry, a convergence of triangular forms, mirrors and influences the internal layout. This interplay of shapes creates a series of surprising spatial experiences.

Spatial Organization

The main public floor is divided into a large reading room for adult patrons and a children’s area with a private nook for story-reading and windows on to a slide that can be accessed through a rope climbing structure, allowing kids to climb up through the building and slide down into the library’s new playground. Other key areas on the ground floor include the Maker Kitchen, which connects to an edible garden and playground, and large windows that offer breathtaking views of the mountains. The interior design incorporates custom elements like a wallpaper by graphic designer Andrew Freeman, principal at afreeman, featuring historical photos from Boulder’s archives, celebrating the region’s indigenous heritage. The building’s exposed ceiling structure adds to the space’s acoustic performance and aesthetic richness.

Sustainability Approach

Sustainability is a central focus of the project, with initial plans aiming for net-zero energy. Although some features were scaled back due to the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic challenges, Boulder’s stringent sustainability regulations ensured that the library maintained its high green building standards. A rooftop solar array supplies a significant portion of the building’s energy, while the site includes a rainwater garden planted with native, butterfly-attracting flowers and shrubs to protect the seasonal creek from runoff.