Douglass-Truth Branch of the Seattle Public Library

Sheet Metal Contractor

Orion Sheet Metal, Inc.
Tacoma, Washington

Renovation and expansion of the historic branch library increased the size of the landmark building from 8,000 to 16,500 square feet. The new addition was designed to respect the landmark library building while reflecting the changes that have occurred in the community and the library program in the 90 years since the historic structure was built. Copper was chosen as cladding on the new structure for both aesthetic and technical reasons. Built in 1914, the original structure was the first publicly funded branch library in Seattle and originally housed the city's collection of Jewish literature. Over time, as the demographics of the neighborhood changed so did the library's name and collections. The Douglass-Truth Branch now holds the largest collection of books and ephemera related to African-American culture in the Pacific Northwest. The addition contains a below-grade reading room. A monitor brings generous amounts of daylight into the new structure and frames views looking back to the historic building. The wall of the addition facing the historic library is glazed, reflecting the color and details of the landmark building by day and allowing light inside the addition to spill out at night. Copper roofing and siding on the addition makes a connection between old and new. On the one hand, it provides a surface that complements the brick walls, terra cotta trim and tile roof of the historic building, and will age gracefully over time. On the other, the material provides a taut, lightweight skin that wraps seamlessly around the clean, abstract form of the addition, emphasizing the minimalist aesthetic of the contemporary structure. Copper's malleability, allows for custom detailing that could not be accomplished with other materials.

Architectural Category: Flat Seam Roofs and Walls