A new community hub

Located in the civic center of Long Beach, California, the Billie Jean King Main Library fosters community, learning, and collaboration. The welcoming and flexible building serves the city’s diverse population with a variety of spaces including group study rooms, independent work areas, and a technology-driven “makerspace” with a learning lab and 3D printers. An independently operated community center with meeting rooms and programs is available for public use. The library offers a rich program of activities, in which reading and browsing bookstacks are only a part of the experience.

With its name that pays homage to the famed athlete and Long Beach native, the Billie Jean King Main Library establishes a welcoming presence from the street. Once inside, visitors pass through a dramatic two-story light well that leads into a large central atrium. Clerestory windows fill the interiors with natural light, creating a space that feels like an expansive pavilion. The atrium can accommodate a range of activities throughout the course of the day, from workshops and social gatherings to exhibits and public events.

Using timber to reduce carbon impact

Timber construction is a key component of a holistic approach to sustainable design. The building is one of the few in Southern California that utilizes a heavy timber structural system, composed of renewable timber reinforced with steel and concrete where needed. Each material is employed in a hybrid system to optimize its respective structural properties.

By using timber, a lightweight material, the library could be built atop the existing structure of an underground concrete parking garage. Saving most of the concrete structure allowed the design team to significantly cut down on material waste. The design reduces embodied carbon by 61 percent, compared with erecting a new parking garage and a conventional concrete building.

A range of sustainable design strategies have contributed to the library’s LEED Platinum certification. The building features rooftop photovoltaic cells, controlled air ventilation systems, and extensive glazing to maximize daylight, with architectural overhangs for solar protection. MEP and fire safety systems were left uncovered to feature the timber structure.

An emblem for a renewed district

The 93,500-square-foot library is part of the Long Beach Civic Center Master Plan, along with a new City Hall and Port of Long Beach Headquarters. SOM designed the master plan to revitalize 22 acres of downtown Long Beach by creating a vibrant, mixed-use district and reactivating Lincoln Park.