The reimagined Tulsa City-County Central Library is one of six library projects to be honored by the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and American Library Association (ALA) with an AIA/ALA Library Building Award.
A partnership between AIA and ALA’s Library Leadership and Management Association, the award honors the best in library architecture and design. This urban renewal project contributes to the revitalization of a second-tier city’s struggling downtown core by transforming a dilapidated, mid-century modern central library and inhospitable civic plaza into a prized community destination for active learning and creative engagement.
The design team targeted three primary goals for the project:
To achieve these goals, the design team crafted a building program and architectural response that includes:
The jury described the renovation as “elegant and timeless.” One juror added, “It maximizes and revitalizes the surrounding neighborhood, which would inspire me to visit more often just to experience its beauty.”