Project name: Redmond Library

Location: Redmond

Completion: September 2024

Size: 40,000 square feet

Cost: $31.5 million

Owner: Deschutes Public Library

Owner’s Representative: Redpoint Construction Management

Architect: The Miller Hull Partnership, Steele Associates Architects

Interior Designer: The Miller Hull Partnership

Engineers: KPFF, HWA, Interface Engineering

General Contractor: Kirby Nagelhout Construction Co.

Submitting Company: Kirby Nagelhout Construction Co.

Other Associates/Key Consultants: Blanca Lighting Design, Mayer Reed, Morrison Hershfield, Plus and Greater Than, Studio Pacifica, Tenor Engineering Group, Walker Macy

Subcontractors: Advance Cabinet Designs, Advanced Technology Group, Andres Landscape, Apollo Sheet Metal, Beacon Roofing Supply, BrandSafway Services, Building Material Specialties, Ceniga Masonry, Central Oregon Garage Door, Central Oregon Roofing, Deschutes Concrete Construction, Deschutes Painting, Energy Conservation Insulation, Fabulous Floors, Hickman Williams & Associates, Interior Technology, Joni’s Construction Cleaning, Max Manufacturing, Metro Tint, Mike’s Fence Center, Mt. Hood Corps., Northwest Framing Systems, Pacific Decorative Concrete, Phoenix Fire Protection, Rixir Systems, Simple Safety Solutions, Skyline Sheet Metal, SouthTown Glass, StructureCraft Builders, Summers Wood Floor, Sunlight Solar Energy, Terminix, TK Elevator, Tomco Electric, Western Partitions

The new Redmond Library offers residents a state-of-the-art facility that nearly doubles the size of its predecessor while incorporating cutting-edge sustainable design elements.

The two-story, 40,000-square-foot structure stands on the same site as the original library following approval of a Deschutes Public Library bond measure by county voters. The project is part of a larger initiative to renovate existing libraries and construct two new facilities throughout the county.

Designed through a partnership between Seattle-based The Miller Hull Partnership and local firm Steele Associates Architects, the building features an innovative mass timber framework that provides both structural integrity and aesthetic appeal. The use of acoustic dowel-laminated timber sets the project apart. It reduces the need for additional acoustical elements while maintaining the open nature of the spaces.

Brick buildings are a theme throughout the city of Redmond, so the new library is brick-clad but in a darker tone and laid out in a stacked-bond style to set it apart as a modern building.

The library’s distinctive design includes a feature staircase fabricated by Bend’s Max Manufacturing and a large custom sculpture by renowned Pacific Northwest artist John Grade, inspired by Central Oregon sagebrush.

Beyond traditional library services, the facility offers multiple community-focused amenities including multi-purpose spaces, a children’s discovery area, and maker spaces for activities like sewing and 3D printing. Adults and teens can utilize collaborative areas designed for studying and co-working.

For user convenience, the building includes a drive-up window for materials pickup and drop-off during or after library hours.

Sustainability was prioritized throughout construction, with photovoltaic solar panels installed on the roof and over parking areas to help the building achieve net-zero energy consumption. The facility is on track for LEED Gold certification, with Platinum certification possible. Additional eco-friendly features include electric vehicle charging stations, ample natural lighting through skylights and clearstory windows, and the elimination of PVC materials outside of mechanical and electrical systems.

Located adjacent to community parks, schools and residential areas, the library is positioned to become a central hub for Redmond residents.

The construction was completed by Kirby Nagelhout Construction Co. in coordination with Redpoint Construction Management and the architectural firms, with all parties citing the high degree of communication and collaboration as key to the project’s success. There was significant local participation on the project, with 60 percent of trade partners from the area.

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Project name: City of Happy Valley Library Expansion

Location: Happy Valley

Completion: August 2024

Size: 10,700 square feet

Cost: $9,348,302

Owner/Developer: City of Happy Valley

Architect: Scott Edwards Architecture

Engineers: Harper Houf Peterson Righellis, Interface Engineering

General Contractor: Bremik Construction

Submitting Company: Bremik Construction

Other Associates/Key Consultants: ABD Engineering and Design, Reyes Engineering, Vertex Technology Design and Consulting

Subcontractors: Anderson Specialties, Architectural Metalcrafters, Authority Dock & Door, B & T Striping and Curbing, BASCO, Bell Hardware, Bryker Enterprises, Building Material Specialties, Cascade Acoustics, D & H Flagging, Dallas Glass, Diamond Concrete Products, Duke Construction & Excavation, Eastside Paving, Elementary Energy, Fire Systems West, Hercon Rebar & Post Tension, Hilltop Commercial Supply, Insulation Contractors, Integrity Industries dba Cement Elegance, Interior Technology, Longhorn Geomatics, MB Structures, McDonald & Wetle, Northwest Masonry Restoration, Pacific Window Tinting, Paulson’s Floor Coverings, Piper Mechanical, Portland Electrical Construction, RedBuilt, Rich Holland Painting, Skyline Sheet Metal, Spectrum Custom Interiors, Superior Interiors, Ultra Quiet Floors, Van Lom Concrete, Vaughn Environmental, Wallace Steel, Wright Manufacturing, Zeeland

The City of Happy Valley’s 10,700-square-foot library expansion transformed an existing space into an enhanced community hub for the city’s 55,000 residents.

Designed around the concept of “The Community’s Living Room,” the expansion includes a 300-person community room that can be divided into smaller spaces, private study rooms for both individual and group use, and improved accessibility features.

The architectural design bridges old and new, with the existing library structure inspired by book spines while the expansion draws from book binding imagery. This concept appears throughout the project, from the zigzag facade addressing the steep slope to matching acoustic treatments inside. The triangular, sloped site required an intentional floorplan that maximized every square foot: even niches and nooks have purpose.

The expansion maintains a single public-facing level for accessibility despite challenging terrain, with a staff-only lower level housing mechanical equipment and storage. The design orients the community room toward an adjacent nature reserve, maximizing visitors’ connection with the natural surroundings.

Interior spaces feature wood tones echoing the exterior’s vertical slats, exposed structural glulams in the community room, and neutral, durable materials that support various activities and easy maintenance.

Construction presented multiple challenges, including proximity to a habitat conservation area, maintaining library operations throughout the project, and winter weather delays that extended completion by three days.

The expansion outperforms Oregon Energy Code requirements by 30 percent, incorporating sustainable elements including a 33-kilowatt solar photovoltaic array, installed by Portland Electrical Construction in partnership with Elementary Energy; all-electric HVAC systems for energy-efficient climate control; and advanced insulation techniques to improve thermal performance. A robust stormwater management system mitigates runoff and protects the adjacent habitat conservation area.

Though not required by contract, the project team prioritized community engagement by partnering with several local businesses.

The collaboration among Bremik Construction, Scott Edwards Architecture, and multiple engineering firms ensured the project addressed technical complexities such as aligning new HVAC systems with existing infrastructure and coordinating sophisticated utility networks.

“The Happy Valley Library Expansion has been an overnight transformation for our community living room,” said Ben Bryant, Happy Valley assistant city manager, in the project nomination form. “Our typical programs such as story times more than doubled in average attendance within the first weeks of opening. Moreover, the project was delivered on-time, under-budget, and with zero workplace injuries.”

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