Redmond Public Library

The new Redmond Public Library is located amongst a number of historic brick-cladded buildings, making its context denser and more urban than the other libraries in the county. The new design doubles the size of the current building. A new kind of library paired with a new level of sustainability, the interior environment of the building evokes beauty and warmth with exposed regionally-sourced mass timber that reflects the traditional heavy timber used in the region. During the production stages for this project (A1-A3), the metal, concrete, and insulation consume the most carbon (53%, 21%, 11% respectively), while the timber sequesters 46% of that carbon.

Additionally, acoustic dowel laminated timber (ADLT) provides structural flooring and roofing, which, unlike other mass timber products, does not require the typical glue that impacts indoor air quality. Slots cut into the DLT and acoustic fabric inserted inside allow about 80% of the DLT to remain exposed without requiring drop ceilings for acoustic absorption. Glulam columns and beams are also found throughout the building, including 65-foot glulam and steel cable trusses supporting the roof that create large open and collaborative spaces.

Photos courtesy of Lara Swimmer.