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Bohlin Cywinski Jackson
Pleasant Hill Library Exterior Rendering

Pleasant Hill Library Celebrates the Start of Construction 

A new spacious modern public library is underway for the City of Pleasant Hill.

The City of Pleasant Hill in California held a small, socially distanced groundbreaking ceremony on September 18 for the new Pleasant Hill Library, kicking-off construction and marking a project milestone. The Pleasant Hill City Council selected BHM Construction, Inc. as General Contractor for the project, working with our San Francisco studio. With a completion date of Winter 2022, the library plans to open its doors to the public in Spring 2022.

Part of a more extensive mixed-use development, the library will be centrally located next to a new townhouse development and a sports field complex. Having long been a community staple in the Diablo Valley region, the updated daylit library will improve functionality and modernize programming for the city and the library system. A central 55-foot x 200-foot column-less great room will offer a large open space for a range of offerings, including expanded community events and improved flexibility. Adjoining this main hall are three intimate pavilions, each expressed as individual wooden volumes facing Oak Park Boulevard. These include a Messy Makerspace for classes and workshops, a Story Lab for children’s storytimes and author talks, and a Retreat for quiet reading and study. Outdoor activity spaces and a Friends of the Library bookstore will offer visitors a more casual way to interact with the building.

To fit into the established aesthetic of the surrounding neighborhood, the new Pleasant Hill Library offers a contemporary approach to mid-century design. It makes use of extensive glass and a dramatic sweeping roof, which provides shade and shadow for both the building and its outdoor spaces. The entrance is marked with expressive columns and a pitched roof canopy to provide clear wayfinding. South sun casts shade on the entry plaza year-round, creating an inviting gathering place. Additionally, a south-facing clerestory allows for natural light to flood the interior of the library. The highly energy-efficient design offers radiant heating and cooling and natural ventilation to allow for nighttime cooling. Currently, the project is targeting Net Zero certification.

Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Groundbreaking Ceremony
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Groundbreaking Ceremony
Pleasant Hill Library Interior Rendering
Bohlin Cywinski Jackson