Offsite Collections Facility

University of Minnesota

The new Offsite Collections Facility will create sufficient long-term storage capacity for the University of Minnesota’s unique and scarcely held print collections that are actively used by students, faculty, and researchers. Located in the Como neighborhood adjacent to several other university-owned buildings, the site consolidates 15 locations into a single controlled environment, affording efficient retrieval for users while also freeing valuable library square footage in the heart of campus for student-centered, interactive spaces for contemporary learning.

With space to house and preserve approximately 3.7 million volumes, the project combines functional storage with elements that go beyond traditional warehouse design, bringing visual interest into both the exterior and interior with texture, color, and form. The design can be read in two distinct volumes. First, the storage vault, opaque and massive, references “books on shelves” in the patterns and texture of the precast panels. Secondly, the processing and work area, smaller and transparent, optimizes natural light and references the books, artifacts, information, and ideas flowing in and out of the facility. The minimal, contrasting palette is inspired by “letters on a page,” with strategic applications of accent color tying the building to the University.

Project Partners: EVS Inc., Damon Farber, Knutson, KRA, NV5, Paulson & Clark Engineering