Asante Library

Asante Library is a multi-award winning 10,000 SF design-build library project operated by the Maricopa Library District and owned by the City of Surprise. The library features an expansive glass exterior along with elegant, cantilevered shade canopies surrounding the perimeter to diffuse direct sunlight. The structure consists of a steel beam and steel joist roof supported by steel columns, masonry bearing walls, concrete retaining walls and spread footings. Located within a regional retention basin, the structure was set on a five-foot-tall plinth that extends into the basin.

The airy, open aesthetic required a slender lateral force resisting system. Thin hollow structural steel shapes combined with steel rod braces allow for minimal obstruction of the full-height glass facades. The building utilizes a recessed mechanical well in the roof to hide mechanical elements and preserve the lean profile across the roof line.  

This project employed simple and durable materials arranged in exhilarating ways. With a modest design and construction budget, Asante Library demonstrates that inspired and unique design can also be cost-effective.