RNT ARCHITECTS, BORREGO SPRINGS COUNTY LIBRARY
Designated as the first Dark-Sky International
Community in California, Borrego Springs is a town with a population of about
3,000 located in the desert area of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, renowned as
a hub for public astronomy activities throughout the year. In this area with its
unique environmental and landscape features, the California firm RNT Architects
(Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects) has designed an iconic project for the community’s
public library and other social-civic enterprises.
The building, covering about 1,220 square meters, is built across one single floor raised above the ground to showcase the desert terrain and allow the natural flow of existing streams to pass through and around the building.
Inside, there’s a library with book lending areas, a reading room, private study rooms, a relaxation room, computer lab, staff support spaces, coffee bar, conference room, common rooms and an outdoor patio for poets. The focus of the project is to connect together the people of the Borrego Springs community through spaces where kids and adults can explore, work together and interact on an informal basis.
The whole setup was designed to link the natural environment, unspoiled night sky, stargazing activities and the history of this desert-surrounded community. A central axis called “The Walk of the Cosmos” connects the Library to the Park and represents the relative positions and distances of the planets in our solar system from the sun.
The project had to face the challenge of withstanding the risk of serious flooding and the harsh desert environment. The roof serves multiple purposes, acting as a complete shading system for the building while also reflecting the desert landscape and highlighting the iconic outlines of the surrounding mountains.
A zero-energy building with LEED Gold certification, it incorporates numerous energy-saving principles, including sunshades, maximum use of natural light, an efficient and durable building envelope, and photovoltaic power generation.
Client: County of San Diego; Architect: RNT Architects - Roesling Nakamura Terada Architects; Contractor: BNBuilders; Energy Consultant: Sto-k; MEP Consultant: MA Engineers; Civil Engineer: WSP; Commissioning Agent: 3Qc
