Dezeen: Salem Public Library
Salem Public Library, Salem, Oregon
Hacker Overhauls “Fortress-like” Brutalist Library in Oregon
January 18, 2023
Colourful furnishings and large stretches of glass feature in a 1970s library building that has been updated by US studio Hacker Architects.
The three-storey, concrete library is located next to City Hall in downtown Salem, the capital of Oregon.
Encompassing 96,000 square feet (8,919 square metres), the building was originally designed by American architect George Rockrise and Donald Richardson, and opened in 1972. An expansion was completed in 1990.
Several years ago, the library embarked on a renovation project in order to update the ageing facility and improve its structural systems, particularly in regard to seismic resilience.
