Mesa, Ariz., opens its first new public library in 30 years
Mesa, Ariz., the state’s third largest city after Phoenix and Tucson, has opened its first new public library in 30 years.
Designed by Richärd Kennedy Architects and built by Willmeng Construction, the 28,272-sf, $22.5 million Mesa Gateway Library features an open-concept organization below a soaring, folded roof finished with wood planks. The interior is meant to resemble a public market under a large shading structure, with spaces and bookstacks treated as market “vendors.”
The wood ceiling extends from the exterior to the interior through the glass curtain wall. At one point, over 20 man lifts operated simultaneously to complete the wood ceiling’s complex installation. To maintain the floating wood ceiling’s aesthetic, the project team placed the HVAC equipment underground beneath the building slab and hid the ductwork within the building’s lower volumes.
The library’s material palette focuses on durability and desert-responsive performance, featuring 24-gauge Corten metal roofing, Exitron 16-gauge mill finish steel, and prefinished metal wall panels.
“We take our role very seriously when it comes to public projects like this,” Willmeng CEO James Murphy said in a statement. “We want to be good stewards of the City’s resources and also create a facility that reflects the character of the community and is a space that will be utilized and shared for many years to come.”
Winner of an ALA/IIDA Library Interior Design Award, the library’s interior, designed by White Baux Studio, includes advanced tech infrastructure such as an interactive, digital public art wall as well as three Zoom rooms. To support neurodiverse individuals, the Certified Autism Center’s dedicated sensory room used trauma-informed design for the lighting and materials.
The library design creates indoor-outdoor connections with an adjacent park and with spaces such as a covered outdoor makerspace area called THINKspot.
On the building team: City of Mesa (developer), Richärd Kennedy Architects (architect of record), White Baux Studio (interior designer), Willmeng Construction (general contractor).
