The expanded Southwest Branch is the 22nd project completed under the Libraries for All building program.
The expansion was designed by Olson Sundberg Kundig Allen Architects and built by Construction Enterprises & Contractors Inc.
The architects designed the expanded Southwest Branch to create a civic presence for the library, which patrons said was easy to miss along busy 35th Avenue Southwest.
Other design goals included keeping the welcoming entry and preserving the structural integrity of the original building, which has exposed welded-steel posts and beams. Earth tones and light-colored wood create a sense of warm coziness inside the branch. A canopy over the outside entry protects you and the book drop from the weather.