Austin-area library features elevated screened porches, suggesting the library as community porch

Designed by Lake Flato, the $40 million Cedar Park Public Library is divided into two wings, one for younger visitors and the other for the adult collection and quiet reading rooms.
July 23, 2025
2 min read

In Cedar Park, Texas, a suburb of Austin, the Cedar Park Public Library features a sculptural mass timber roof above two elevated porches. The screened areas offer outdoor reading space with treetop views while suggesting the idea of the library as the community’s porch.

Designed by Lake Flato, the two-story library is the first completed building in the Bell District, a 54-acre mixed-use development with restaurants, retail, and housing.

With a tree-shaded courtyard, the $40 million library project oriented the building to preserve as many mature trees as possible and to optimize breezes, daylight, and views. Other outdoor areas include covered maker and event patios, a children’s play area, and the Bell District’s Backyard green space.

The 47,000-sf library is divided into two main wings. The north wing holds the young adult collection, teen areas, public-facing maker spaces, classrooms, and a revenue-generating event room. The south wing houses the adult collection as well as quiet reading rooms. Both wings also include interactive exhibits.

The two wings connect at the double-height lobby. The lobby features an acoustically performing wood wall made from trees reclaimed onsite. With floor-to-ceiling glazing, the lobby provides views of the courtyard, the park, and the Bell District.

The Cedar Park Public Library includes collaboration rooms, quiet reading and work areas, and a large kids and family area with indoor and outdoor interactive play and learning exhibits.

The 2021 children’s book Be a Tree!, by Maria Gianferrari, inspired the design of the north wing’s kids area, with a large plywood tree and custom wall coverings adapted from Felicita Sala’s original illustrations.

On the building team: City of Cedar Park (owner), Lake Flato (design architect and architect of record), Jose I. Guerra, Inc. (MEP engineer), Dunaway (civil engineer), Datum Engineers (structural engineer), J.E. Dunn Construction Group (general contractor).

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