University of Arkansas Library Storage

Client: University of Arkansas

Time Period: 2012 – 2018

Role: Architect of Record

Size: 28,000 SF

Based on the results of a 2012 study focused on expanding learning and research at the University’s marquee Mullins Library, the University of Arkansas commissioned a design team of MBL and Perry Dean Rogers Partners to create an off-site, high-density storage building for less used collections. The new Library Storage Building holds approximately 1.9 million volumes, as well as preservation, quarantine, and working spaces.

Originally conceived as a hardened concrete block and composite deck building, the design team studied alternate fire-resistant structural systems and settled on a mass-timber solution, with a glulam frame supporting cross-laminated timber (CLT) wall, floor, and roof panels. The first such use of a mass-timber / CLT structure in the state of Arkansas; this modular, prefabricated system reduced the construction time and cut down on material waste, ultimately saving over $1 million compared to the original concrete alternative. The warm and inviting nature of the mass-timber system allowed the design team to leave most of the structure exposed, further saving time and cost on interior finishes and lay-in ceiling.

To elevate the typical warehouse building, the design team studied various material palettes for the exterior. A combination of locally sourced stones in gabion baskets and charred wood cladding – both fire and wind-blow debris resistant materials – was chosen for the primary storage shed. The main entry and workspaces were clad in ribbed metal panels to provide a legible contrast with the highly textural shed beyond.