SCUP/AIA-CAE Excellence in Architecture for Restoration or Preservation, Honor Award

The Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley, CA and Ratcliff, Emeryville, CA

Photo by David Wakely

Photo by David Wakely

Click on the image above to view a larger image.

The Bancroft Library rehabilitation at the University of California, Berkeley completely transforms one of the world’s most important rare book research libraries. It houses more than 600,000 volumes, 50 million manuscripts, and 3.5 million photographs, maps, paintings, diaries, and three major research collections. The architects teamed with the university to negotiate a careful balance between preservation and access to rare materials.

The library was constructed in 1950 and attached to the University’s historic main library, the Doe Library (designed by John Galen Howard, 1910). 

The library was suffering from many problems: inadequate accessibility; tenuous storage conditions for priceless materials; poor seismic ratings; inadequate HVAC system; aging fire safety systems; poor protection from theft; inadequate instructional space; and an uninviting reading room.

The library underwent significant renovation including a new circulation pattern that creates a new entry; first-floor public spaces with an exhibit gallery and an entry rotunda with a grand staircase; main reference and reading room relocation to capture northern light; state-of-the-art environmental controls for preservation of materials; advanced security system to protect the $6 billion collections; increased storage capacities; shear walls that seismically strengthen the structure; and sustainable design elements and systems for healthier conditions. 

This renovation increases access to collections, and now students and the public are aware of the incomparable collections housed there. 

This project offers a global perspective on issues of preservation and access for academic and rare books libraries. Assessing the value of the collections to make the case for their preservation resulted in programming choices that safely promote the collections rather than sequester them for the sake of preservation. This was a key strategy in garnering private donations.

The jury said, “spectacular. . . before and after photos make you want to go there . . . turned it into a glorious place that is wonderful . . . excellent, given the importance of this to the university . . .”

Project Team: University of California, Berkeley and Ratcliff with Noll & Tam; Garrison/Lull, Inc.; O'Mahony & Myer; Degenkolb Engineers; Taylor Engineering; TEECOM Group