June 26, 2015

Underground library gets a $17M makeover on UO Campus

Image courtesy of Opsis Architects [enlarge]

The University of Oregon is in the midst of a $16.75 million renovation and expansion of the 48-year-old Science Library on its campus in Eugene. Construction started last December.

The project involves renovating 40,300 square feet of existing space and building a new 4,000-square-foot ground-level entry.

The library is located in the basement of Klamath Hall, adjacent to the Onyx Bridge building. It's currently accessible from several surrounding buildings, but the new ground-level entrance will become the main way to access the library.

Opsis Architects is the designer and Andersen Construction Co. is the general contractor.

Much of the library sits below a concrete plaza called Onyx Green, which will be renovated to make the space more inviting.

The library itself will double its existing seating capacity to accommodate more than 1,000 people. New spaces will include a cafe, events area, student advising, a digital technology lab, classrooms, and meeting and study areas.

Space for books and other physical materials will be reduced — casualties of the 21st century.

The library was built as part of the construction of Klamath Hall, and is located near the heart of the densely built Lokey Science Complex. The library's only source of daylight has been through the plaza's sunken courtyard.

The renovated library will be called Allan Price Science Commons and Research Library.

Construction is scheduled to finish by fall 2016.