Architect: Patkau Architects
Architect of Record: Group2
Consultants
Structural: Fast + Epp
Mechanical: Williams Engineering
Electrical: WSP
Civil: ISL
Acoustic: RWDI
Traffic: Bunt & Associates
Building Envelope: RJC
Landscape Architect: Design North
Cost Estimate: Acumen
Builder: PCL Constructors
Images
James Dow + Patkau Architects (1-12)
Patkau Architects + 2020 Google (13)
Patkau Architects (14, 15)
Awards
2022 Prairie Design Excellence Award
2020 AIA/ALA Library Building Award
2019 North America Wood Design Merit Award
Description
Sited at the edge of a ravine, the Capilano Library connects its suburban community to nature. Orphaned from the North Saskatchewan River by intense urbanization in the 1960s, the ravine is a remnant of a riparian prairie ecosystem that once characterized the Edmonton area. Flanked by a residential street to the west and the orphaned ravine to the east, the site is ideal for a library, both accessible and connected to nature.
The library form is developed from its cross section, which is folded to form three peaks across the site, each with a different scale. Each of the three peaks responds to scale, function, natural light, and view. The western peak reflects the scale of the neighbourhood with a quiet edge of support spaces along the street. The eastern peak is intimately scaled, with varied seating along a serene 55-metre long window overlooking the ravine. The middle peak is top-lit and lofty, with space for stacks, community, and staff. To complement the shady deciduous backdrop, the library is clad in black aluminum and natural wood, while a double-row of elms and an entry plaza tie the building to the adjacent street.
This cross section is extruded 77 metres along the length of the site and modulated to create rich and varied spaces for the 1,130 square metre library program. The upper and lower planes of the roof are optimized for daylight, acoustics, structure, and technical services, striking an irregular profile at each end of the building.
Wood-screened clerestories on the west face of the library fill the interior with daylight. As the sun passes over the building, sunlight filters through the screens, projecting gentle patterns of light and shadow on the interior surfaces. Views of the verdant landscape combined with continually changing interior light create a natural oasis in the heart of a suburban prairie neighbourhood.
The Capilano Library makes a strong argument for restoring the orphaned ravine to its larger riparian ecosystem, becoming a catalyst for a city-scale change. By acknowledging the ravine, the library provides visitors and staff with a place of reverence for knowledge and nature while creating a tranquil edge to its community.
Certifications
Description
Sited at the edge of a ravine, the Capilano Library connects its suburban community to nature. Orphaned from the North Saskatchewan River by intense urbanization in the 1960s, the ravine is a remnant of a riparian prairie ecosystem that once characterized the Edmonton area. Flanked by a residential street to the west and the orphaned ravine to the east, the site is ideal for a library, both accessible and connected to nature.
The library form is developed from its cross section, which is folded to form three peaks across the site, each with a different scale. Each of the three peaks responds to scale, function, natural light, and view. The western peak reflects the scale of the neighbourhood with a quiet edge of support spaces along the street. The eastern peak is intimately scaled, with varied seating along a serene 55-metre long window overlooking the ravine. The middle peak is top-lit and lofty, with space for stacks, community, and staff. To complement the shady deciduous backdrop, the library is clad in black aluminum and natural wood, while a double-row of elms and an entry plaza tie the building to the adjacent street.
This cross section is extruded 77 metres along the length of the site and modulated to create rich and varied spaces for the 1,130 square metre library program. The upper and lower planes of the roof are optimized for daylight, acoustics, structure, and technical services, striking an irregular profile at each end of the building.
Wood-screened clerestories on the west face of the library fill the interior with daylight. As the sun passes over the building, sunlight filters through the screens, projecting gentle patterns of light and shadow on the interior surfaces. Views of the verdant landscape combined with continually changing interior light create a natural oasis in the heart of a suburban prairie neighbourhood.
The Capilano Library makes a strong argument for restoring the orphaned ravine to its larger riparian ecosystem, becoming a catalyst for a city-scale change. By acknowledging the ravine, the library provides visitors and staff with a place of reverence for knowledge and nature while creating a tranquil edge to its community.
Location
Size
Client
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
1,100 sq m / 11,800 sq ft
Edmonton Public Library
Description
Sited at the edge of a ravine, the Capilano Library connects its suburban community to nature. Orphaned from the North Saskatchewan River by intense urbanization in the 1960s, the ravine is a remnant of a riparian prairie ecosystem that once characterized the Edmonton area. Flanked by a residential street to the west and the orphaned ravine to the east, the site is ideal for a library, both accessible and connected to nature.
The library form is developed from its cross section, which is folded to form three peaks across the site, each with a different scale. Each of the three peaks responds to scale, function, natural light, and view. The western peak reflects the scale of the neighbourhood with a quiet edge of support spaces along the street. The eastern peak is intimately scaled, with varied seating along a serene 55-metre long window overlooking the ravine. The middle peak is top-lit and lofty, with space for stacks, community, and staff. To complement the shady deciduous backdrop, the library is clad in black aluminum and natural wood, while a double-row of elms and an entry plaza tie the building to the adjacent street.
This cross section is extruded 77 metres along the length of the site and modulated to create rich and varied spaces for the 1,130 square metre library program. The upper and lower planes of the roof are optimized for daylight, acoustics, structure, and technical services, striking an irregular profile at each end of the building.
Wood-screened clerestories on the west face of the library fill the interior with daylight. As the sun passes over the building, sunlight filters through the screens, projecting gentle patterns of light and shadow on the interior surfaces. Views of the verdant landscape combined with continually changing interior light create a natural oasis in the heart of a suburban prairie neighbourhood.
The Capilano Library makes a strong argument for restoring the orphaned ravine to its larger riparian ecosystem, becoming a catalyst for a city-scale change. By acknowledging the ravine, the library provides visitors and staff with a place of reverence for knowledge and nature while creating a tranquil edge to its community.
Sited at the edge of a ravine, the Capilano Library connects its suburban community to nature. Orphaned from the North Saskatchewan River by intense urbanization in the 1960s, the ravine is a remnant of a riparian prairie ecosystem that once characterized the Edmonton area. Flanked by a residential street to the west and the orphaned ravine to the east, the site is ideal for a library, both accessible and connected to nature.
The library form is developed from its cross section, which is folded to form three peaks across the site, each with a different scale. Each of the three peaks responds to scale, function, natural light, and view. The western peak reflects the scale of the neighbourhood with a quiet edge of support spaces along the street. The eastern peak is intimately scaled, with varied seating along a serene 55-metre long window overlooking the ravine. The middle peak is top-lit and lofty, with space for stacks, community, and staff. To complement the shady deciduous backdrop, the library is clad in black aluminum and natural wood, while a double-row of elms and an entry plaza tie the building to the adjacent street.
This cross section is extruded 77 metres along the length of the site and modulated to create rich and varied spaces for the 1,130 square metre library program. The upper and lower planes of the roof are optimized for daylight, acoustics, structure, and technical services, striking an irregular profile at each end of the building.
Wood-screened clerestories on the west face of the library fill the interior with daylight. As the sun passes over the building, sunlight filters through the screens, projecting gentle patterns of light and shadow on the interior surfaces. Views of the verdant landscape combined with continually changing interior light create a natural oasis in the heart of a suburban prairie neighbourhood.
The Capilano Library makes a strong argument for restoring the orphaned ravine to its larger riparian ecosystem, becoming a catalyst for a city-scale change. By acknowledging the ravine, the library provides visitors and staff with a place of reverence for knowledge and nature while creating a tranquil edge to its community.
Description
Sited at the edge of a ravine, the Capilano Library connects its suburban community to nature. Orphaned from the North Saskatchewan River by intense urbanization in the 1960s, the ravine is a remnant of a riparian prairie ecosystem that once characterized the Edmonton area. Flanked by a residential street to the west and the orphaned ravine to the east, the site is ideal for a library, both accessible and connected to nature.
The library form is developed from its cross section, which is folded to form three peaks across the site, each with a different scale. Each of the three peaks responds to scale, function, natural light, and view. The western peak reflects the scale of the neighbourhood with a quiet edge of support spaces along the street. The eastern peak is intimately scaled, with varied seating along a serene 55-metre long window overlooking the ravine. The middle peak is top-lit and lofty, with space for stacks, community, and staff. To complement the shady deciduous backdrop, the library is clad in black aluminum and natural wood, while a double-row of elms and an entry plaza tie the building to the adjacent street.
This cross section is extruded 77 metres along the length of the site and modulated to create rich and varied spaces for the 1,130 square metre library program. The upper and lower planes of the roof are optimized for daylight, acoustics, structure, and technical services, striking an irregular profile at each end of the building.
Wood-screened clerestories on the west face of the library fill the interior with daylight. As the sun passes over the building, sunlight filters through the screens, projecting gentle patterns of light and shadow on the interior surfaces. Views of the verdant landscape combined with continually changing interior light create a natural oasis in the heart of a suburban prairie neighbourhood.
The Capilano Library makes a strong argument for restoring the orphaned ravine to its larger riparian ecosystem, becoming a catalyst for a city-scale change. By acknowledging the ravine, the library provides visitors and staff with a place of reverence for knowledge and nature while creating a tranquil edge to its community.