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Austin’s Living Room

Austin Central Library
Austin, TX

Located in downtown Austin, the New Central Library reflects the eclecticism, authenticity, and diversity of Austinites and their way of life.

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A Lake | Flato – Shepley Bulfinch joint venture, the New Central Library pays homage to two big ideas: Austin’s love affair with books and with nature. Located next to Shoal Creek, the 198,000-sf building utilizes native, sustainable, and touchable materials, chosen to celebrate Austin’s design and construction heritage.

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Readers can sink into seats that wrap the sunlit perimeter, or take in views of hiking trails and Lady Bird Lake from screened outdoor reading porches. The Library also features display and demonstration areas, community meeting rooms of varying sizes, and a 350-seat event forum for presentations and performances.

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The space is defined by intersecting bridges and stairs that encourage serendipitous connections. Natural light floods the six-story atrium. An angled roof diffuses the unrelenting Texas sun.

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The Library celebrates Austin’s walking and biking culture with generous sheltered pedestrian walkways and connections to nearby hiking and biking trails.

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Embracing Austin’s commitment to the environment, rainwater harvesting, an in-ground cistern, and the building’s vegetated roof work together to reduce water usage.

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A photovoltaic cell generates 13% of the building’s power and shades the rooftop garden. The Library uses 40% less energy than a building of comparable size.

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Awards and Recognitions

AIA COTE Top Ten

Sustainability Award

LEED Platinum

Sustainability Certification

Architizer

A+ Awards Special Mention

AIA Austin

Design Award

APWA Texas Chapter

Project of the Year

ALA/IIDA

Library Interior Design Award

AIA/ALA

Library Building Award

ULI Austin

Best Project Design Award

International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions

Public Library of the Year Finalist

Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute

HONORS Award: Library

Meet the Team

Kalyn Pavlinic, NCIDQ, LEED AP, IIDA

Associate Principal

Kalyn weaves together an understanding of user needs and institutional goals with a strong design aesthetic rooted in human behavior and spatial experience.

Kelly Karpinsky, AIA, LEED AP

Principal

An accomplished library designer, programmer, and planner, Kelly has worked on a wide range of collegiate libraries and learning commons throughout the United States and internationally.

Luke Voiland, AIA, LEED AP

Managing Principal

Luke oversees both practice and market strategy nationally for the firm. He brings an inquisitive approach to the design process while advocating for design responses that create responsive, collaborative environments.

Sidney R. Bowen III, AIA

Consulting Principal

For fifteen years Sid served as the firm’s Managing Principal, with a focus on assuring that Shepley is successful as a business, able to attract and support talented professionals in service to its clients.

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