Snøhetta's Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Opens July 4 in Medora, North Dakota
On July 4, the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library (TRPL) in Medora, North Dakota, will officially open its doors. This 95,000-square-foot structure, crafted from mass timber in collaboration with contractor JE Dunn, boasts a 121,000-square-foot roof that mimics the surrounding prairie, all situated on a 93-acre plot. Snøhetta, chosen in September 2020 following a competitive selection process, had founding partner Craig Dykers visit the site in the summer of that year, which inspired seasonal elements in the design. A prominent nearly mile-long boardwalk loop acts as a key exhibit. Inside, rammed earth walls by Earth Wall Builders are paired with a Douglas fir frame. The library highlights Roosevelt's time in the Badlands from 1884 to 1886, which influenced his presidency from 1901 to 1909. President Trump made a visit on July 1. The project adheres to four net-zero frameworks.
Key facts
- The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opens on July 4 in Medora, North Dakota.
- Snøhetta was selected as architect in September 2020 after a competition with finalists Henning Larsen and Studio Gang.
- The building covers approximately 95,000 square feet and is topped by a 121,000-square-foot living prairie roof.
- The project sits on a 93-acre site and includes a nearly mile-long boardwalk loop.
- Rammed earth walls by Earth Wall Builders are paired with a Douglas fir mass timber frame.
- JLG Architects was architect of record, with Josh Kehrwald as director of project delivery.
- Studio Loutsis designed signage and wayfinding; Confluence was landscape architect.
- The library achieves four net-zero frameworks for energy, water, emissions, and waste.
- President Trump visited on July 1, days before the official opening events on July 4.
- Roosevelt spent 1884 to 1886 in the North Dakota Badlands, an experience that shaped his presidency from 1901 to 1909, during which he founded the National Park Service.
Entities
Artists
- Theodore Roosevelt
- Craig Dykers
- Josh Kehrwald
- Michelle Delk
- Ben Stechschulte
- Frank Edgerton Martin
- Donald Trump
- Edward O'Keefe
- Anna Fixsen
- Matthew McMahon
- Aaron Dorf
- Kurt Marsh
- Dan Marty
- Prince Langley
- Nic Lehoux
- John Singer Sargent
Institutions
- Snøhetta
- Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library
- Henning Larsen
- Studio Gang
- JE Dunn
- JLG Architects
- Earth Wall Builders
- Studio Loutsis
- Confluence
- Harvard University
- Library of Congress
- Dickinson State University
- National Park Service
- The Architect's Newspaper
- ESTO
- North Dakota State University
- Resource Environmental Solutions
- Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation
- Standing Rock Sioux
- Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa
- US Forest Service
- Wallpaper*
- JEDunn
- Dezeen
- World Monuments Fund
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation (TRPLF)
- Galerie Magazine
Locations
- Medora
- North Dakota
- United States
- Little Missouri River
- Badlands
- New York City
- San Juan Hill
- Germany
- New Mexico
- Theodore Roosevelt National Park
- North Dakota Badlands
- Brooklyn
- Elkhorn Ranch