Hennebery Eddy turns Portland supermarket into net-zero library operations center
Hennebery Eddy Architects has transformed a deserted grocery store from 1995 in Portland, Oregon, into the Multnomah County Library Operations Center, which serves as a net-zero facility and a central hub for the library system in the county. This 73,000-square-foot development merges the existing 52,000-square-foot store with a new 21,000-square-foot extension. It houses over 500,000 catalog items and features a secondhand bookstore. The building incorporates 80% recycled grey metal panels and 600 solar panels, producing 353,000 kWh each year, while striving for LEED Gold and zero-energy certifications. A 66% reduction in embodied carbon was achieved. The design prioritizes employee health with improved air filtration and an earthquake-resistant framework. Fortis Construction and other collaborators were involved, with photography by Kevin Scott.
Key facts
- Hennebery Eddy Architects converted a vacant 1995 grocery store in Portland, Oregon, into the Multnomah County Library Operations Center.
- The facility is net-zero, with 600 solar panels producing 353,000 kWh per year, fully offsetting energy use.
- The project combines a 52,000-square-foot original store with a 21,000-square-foot addition, totaling 73,000 square feet.
- It serves as the central hub for Multnomah County's library system, managing over 500,000 catalogue materials.
- The exterior metal panels contain up to 80% recycled content and were sourced within 145 miles of the site.
- Embodied carbon was reduced by 66% compared to a new building through adaptive reuse.
- The project targets LEED Gold and zero-energy certification from Living Future.
- Large-scale biophilic murals by community artists and the Portland Street Art Alliance enliven the interior.
Entities
Artists
- Kevin Scott
- David Wark
- Meg Matsushima
- Tereza Wiest
- Alexis Wilson
- Alexander Lungershausen
- Haley Teske
- Bianca Baccarini
- Dan Petrescu
- Patrick Turina
Institutions
- Hennebery Eddy Architects
- Multnomah County Library
- Friends of Multnomah County Library
- Portland Street Art Alliance
- Fortis Construction
- KPFF Consulting Engineers
- James G Pierson
- Arris Consulting
- Interface Engineering
- Place Studio
- Biella Lighting Design
- The Greenbusch Group
- Project Pivot
- Dezeen
Locations
- Portland
- Oregon
- United States
Sources
- Dezeen —