St. Paul Public Library – Rice Street Branch

Location: St. Paul, MN
Total Square Footage: 10,500 sq ft
Construction Cost: $2.1 Million

The new 10,500 sq ft Rice Street Library serves as the focal point for the diverse communities that make up the Rice Street neighborhood. Located on a busy commercial street, at the edge of a primarily residential area, the new branch library is designed with pedestrians in mind. Designed as a community facility, the challenge was to maintain a low scale profile while presenting an appropriate civic image to the street, including a front-store entrance and a graceful canopy extending to the parking lot. The backside of the library is unique in its design to blend naturally with the neighboring buildings and homes. A public meeting room, seating 80, was designed for library programs as well as for community meetings.

Warm tones and natural wood are combined with clerestory daylighting to provide a rich inviting interior. The new library includes a children’s area offering books, a reading nook, space and equipment for tutoring and electronic instruction.