The 29,000 SF White Tank Library is a truly unique facility. It is being constructed in a mountain preserve site and includes a Nature Center. Its wrap-around mountain view provided an additional challenge: western exposures that led to extensive shade walls, trellises and blinds as a solution.

White Tank’s tilt-up concrete and steel structure is part of the reason this is one of the least expensive libraries in the Phoenix metro area. The concrete panels are scored in a pattern similar to nearby rock formations and are lightly-stained three shades of desert green to blend into the site. DWL also helped write a grant that added a 53.2 KW photovoltaic array to the roof, which will meet 27.8% of the building’s power needs—part of a total 47.8% electrical savings that will result in a LEED® Gold rating.

New technology introduced to library operations include RF (radio frequency) scanning, which will allow staff to automatically sort returned media. This project demonstrates what can be dramatically produced on a low budget and how a library can share a building with other uses—the facility also houses a 4,000 SF interpretive center, operated by Maricopa County Park District staff, which includes animal displays and exhibits designed to educate visitors and provide them a better experience as they explore the 30,000 acre regional park.

Potential LEED Certification | Gold

White Tank Library and Nature Center (Image 5) Aerial Photography of by Tom Stokes