Two Oregon communities recently celebrated the completion of their new and improved public libraries, following voter-approved bonds and community-driven design processes. The renovated Astoria Public Library and the relocated Multnomah County Library Northwest Branch both double the libraries’ available space and offer welcoming, modern amenities and services.
Astoria Public Library
More than 250 community members came together in late October to explore the re-opened library in Astoria, now featuring an expanded collection across two floors, media and meeting rooms, and dedicated areas for children and teens. Designed by Hennebery Eddy and built by O’Brien Company, the renovation dramatically increased the library’s usable space to 18,000 square feet by installing a grand staircase and expanding into the previously closed-off basement. Strategic openings in the Brutalist façade introduce daylight and open the library to the streetscape while preserving the ’60s character by original architect Ebba Wicks Brown.
This project was made possible by the community’s overwhelming support of a 2022 bond measure. To honor that support and create a space truly serving the needs of Astorians, our design process fostered engagement across diverse community groups, including targeted outreach to seniors, teens, young families, local Tribes, advocates for houseless individuals, and library staff. The renovated library will serve as a vibrant gathering place for Astoria’s diverse community, accentuated by large-scale art by local artists, such as the “Everybody Reads” mural by Astoria’s Laura Janes.
Portland’s Northwest Library
In Portland’s Northwest District, the Multnomah County Library branch opened this January in a new location: an existing warehouse and office space in the Slabtown neighborhood that’s been transformed and seismically strengthened. More than twice the size of the previous location, the new branch reflects the neighborhood’s unique character and its connection to the environment through two central themes: slabs and swifts. The library was shaped by robust engagement with more than 1,700 voices, including the houseless population, seniors, and families. This process inspired a design that honors the area’s cultural and natural history with nods to the neighborhood’s logging roots and the Vaux swifts birds that migrate through and long roosted in the local elementary school chimney.
This project is part of the major capitol bond approved by county voters in 2020 to modernize and grow one of the largest and most-used library systems in the country. Designed by Hennebery Eddy and built by Howard S. Wright, Northwest Library is one of a dozen bond projects our firm has completed for Multnomah County Library in the past five years.