Safdie Architects to design Boise's new Main Library and civic center

Downtown Boise in Idaho may soon have a new Main Library and civic center, which Safdie Architects and locally based firm CSHQA will be in charge of designing, following the Boise City Council's approval of a 12-week contract earlier this month. Located on Capitol Boulevard, the project is currently expected to cost $60-70 million. The design team will also collaborate with former Salt Lake City Librarian Nancy Tessman.

Originally built as a hardware warehouse in the 1940s and then converted into a library in 1973, the existing Main Library has been experiencing an increase in attendance and program participation, and will need an upgrade to meet the needs of residents and visitors. The new 150,000 square-foot library will dedicate 110,000 square-feet to library space, approximately 20,000 square-feet for the Department of Art & History's new offices, city archives and programming space, and about 20,000 square-feet for a new flexible 400-seat event space. The project will be funded through financing, public funding, and philanthropy.

“The City of Boise has a clear vision for how the new Boise Library can be a gateway to the city,” Moshe Safdie said in a statement. “The building program, the public engagement process, and the site itself, will be the foundation of a design solution unique to Boise, one that reflects its highest aspirations and values as a community.”

The public will be able to offer feedback on Safdie Architects' design concept during open houses and other events.