Temple University Charles Library 

LERA was the structural engineer for this new 225,000-sf, visually and spatially diverse library, which has revitalized Temple University’s North Philadelphia campus. The block-long building features a 3-story domed-atrium with clear spans of up to 100 ft, a large front arch that cantilevers off of the building, green roofs and an outdoor balcony offering cross-campus views.

The entire structure of the building was designed to support the weight of the building-wide green roof. The structural system includes long-span structural steel trusses and steel framing.

The library offers quiet study and reading spaces, large meeting rooms, areas for special events and technology-related activities (such as data visualization and 3D printing) and a state-of-the-art automated book storage and retrieval system that stores nearly 2 million volumes in bins stacked three stories high, opening up program space for other functions in the core of the library.