Gladstone Library
Clackamas County
The new Gladstone Library will balance the needs of an urban branch library while reflecting the community’s defined themes and aspirations for a space that connects to nature, offers a small-town feel and celebrates the local heritage.
Size: 6,000 sf
Location: Gladstone, OR
Architect of Record: Opsis Architecture
Associate Architect: Johnston Architects
Opsis, in association with Johnston Architects of Seattle, is working with Clackamas County and the City of Gladstone to bring a new library to the Gladstone community following a year-long master planning effort. The new library will be located at the site of the former City Hall in downtown Gladstone.
Drawing upon themes identified by the community, the library will be oriented around an internal, landscaped courtyard with the interior of the library featuring materials and elements inspired by the surrounding natural environment.
The efficient program layout will address the needs of the library with a central reading room, teen area, children’s area, study areas and support spaces, while also providing a public meeting room with a separate entrance for afterhours community use.
The defining feature of the building is the sunscreen element that will provide shading for otherwise exposed areas of the building. The aesthetics of the library aspire to create a playful, dynamic, and layered façade, inspired by the local Pow Wow tree and the confluence of the Willamette and Clackamas rivers.
