Reaching completion in 2017, the brand new KO Lee Aberdeen Library in South Dakota was the perfect solution to the multitude of structural issues the former library had experienced for decades. Originally built in the 1950s, the then-Aberdeen Public Library was overcrowded, offered little to no natural light and had sustained water damage over the years. Aberdeen-based CO-OP Architecture took up the task of bringing the library into the new century, and created a contemporary architectural design that drew inspiration from four of Aberdeen’s original railroad depots.
The new library, which sits in downtown Aberdeen in an abandoned church parking lot, is approximately 29,400 square-feet of open floor space, study rooms, meeting rooms, administration space, and a demonstration kitchen. The library is also equipped with LED lighting and energy-efficient heating and cooling systems.
The building’s exterior is a gorgeous combination of traditional and modern building materials. KO Lee Aberdeen Library’s modern aesthetics can be attributed to the aluminum panels applied as the roofing. The 1mm aluminum panels from Pure + Freeform were finished in Miele Maple, Oxidized Silver, Hairline, and Frozen Hairline. The combination for four different stunning finishes featured on the library greatly contributes to its modernized appearance.
The aluminum panels, which offer so much for the library’s aesthetic, were all finished with Lumiflon FEVE resin. Lumiflon FEVE resin provides a plethora of benefits to architectural structures. Surfaces that are protected with a FEVE-based coating system are able to withstand prolonged exposure to UV radiation, salt, and water. Additionally, Lumiflon FEVE resin offers coatings excellent durability and unparalleled color and gloss retention properties.
In 2017, the KO Lee Aberdeen Library was given the AIA South Dakota Award for Architecture and the AIA South Dakota People’s Choice Award.
Photos courtesy of CO-OP Architects
Categories Architecture