Architecture
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library
A rendering of the library from Snohetta.
Image courtesy of: AAS Architecture
Technically, each president should get a library… and perhaps none more fitting that President Theodore Roosevelt who is said to have been one of the most voracious readers among former American presidents. It has been more than a century since President Theodore Roosevelt’s death, and only recently was the announcement that President Theodore Roosevelt will get his due in North Dakota’s Badlands.
Not many may know that it was actually President Theodore Roosevelt’s nephew and future president, Franklin Roosevelt, who, in 1939, initiated the tradition of building presidential libraries. Obviously, the task of creating a library for such an important figure within a rugged and desolate landscape was not an easy one. The international competition for this project spanned five months and included many well-known and lauded architectural firms. In the end, the Norwegian firm (with offices also in New York City, Paris, Adelaide, Hong Kong, and San Francisco) Snohetta was chosen as the winner.
Currently, there are only thirteen presidential libraries built. The effort to get President Theodore Roosevelt’s library built has been ongoing for years.
Image courtesy of: Inside Hook
It may be confusing as to why North Dakota since President Teddy was from the East Coast. However, it is perhaps because his character that is more in line with the “rugged American West” than the well-to-do locals from the eastern seaboard. In any case, the location chosen is Medora, North Dakota… a little town on the Little Missouri River that is just a short distance from the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
There is a beauty to Medora that is dissimilar to most other places. Craig Dykers, one of Snohetta’s founding members said (courtesy of Architectural Digest), “It’s always best to start with your second thought. Our minds were radically changed with the project when we first visited the site, and Medora. It was a completely different thought we had than what we had envisioned before.”
President Theodore Roosevelt took sweeping tours of Europe; he felt that America’s forests were the parallel to Europe’s cathedrals. In addition, he compared America’s mountains to the monuments of the Old World across the ocean.
Image courtesy of: Design Boom
The idea behind Presidential Libraries is to inform future generations of the President’s vision. This one will be no different as it will present the President’s personal reflections on the landscape and his lifelong commitment to environmental stewardship.
The Library’s design is a journey through a preserved landscape of diverse habitats with small pavilions throughout that are meant to serve as places for quiet introspection and personal reflection. The sloping roof gazes over the National Park and the historical significance of the Little Missouri River Valley.
Snohetta will work with a local North Dakota architect to deliver the final project.
Image courtesy of: Design Boom
Rather than just the structure, the Library is also inclusive of pavilions, paths, and the surrounding landscape. The design will fit seamlessly in the region’s unique environment; and it will follow the conservation motto that President Theodore Roosevelt was known for… and remembered for.
An added benefit to the design is that the architects took into account the four seasons… meaning, the design will function just as well on a windy day as it will on a warm summer evening.
When coming up with an appropriate design, Snohetta knew that there would be enormous pressure to ensure that this will be a place fitting for people from all over the world. It will be quite a change for the residents of “quiet Medora.” It was most important that the locals love the final project because if they don’t, how could you expect people from Dallas or Madrid or Tel Aviv to want to visit?
Dykers said (courtesy of Architectural Digest), “We started with an idea that if you have a building that has to be used and visited by a lot of people, then the design has to first be for everyone within a 15-minute radius of the site. Don’t think about Japan or Germany or someone from Los Angeles. Just think about those people who live right there. If those around the world who are interested in this project know that those in the community love and respect it, they will come and have a greater appreciation for its authenticity and meaning.”
A rendering of a fitting “processional entrance” to the Library.
Image courtesy of: Architectural Digest
Theodore Roosevelt V, the former president’s great-great-grandson and namesake said (courtesy of AAS Architecture), “One of Theodore Roosevelt’s most enduring legacies is conservation and our national parks. This will be the only presidential library alongside a national park and the only national park alongside a presidential library. It will invite visitors to see and experience the very cradle of conservation. That is why this location in North Dakota is perfect for the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library.”
It’s about time that the 26th president gets this long-overdue and distinguished honor. We can’t wait to have a reason to personally take-in the expansive beauty of the North Dakota Badlands!
