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.

Location

Philadelphia, PA 

 

Owner 

Temple University  

 

Architect

Snøhetta/Stantec JV

 

Awards 

Winner – New Building, 2020
National Council of Structural Engineers Associations (NCSEA) Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards (EiSE)

Winner – New Building, 2020
Structural Engineers Association of New York (SEAoNY) Excellence in Structural Engineering Awards (EiSE)

Library Interior Design Award, 2020
American Library Association/ International Interior Design Association (IIDA