The Louisville Northeast Regional Library stands out with its bold façade: angled, textured metal panels sweep across glass curtainwall sections, giving the building a dynamic, sculptural edge.
This LEED Gold-certified facility is the final piece in a trio of regional libraries designed to put nearly every Derby City resident within five miles of a full-service branch. Inside, visitors find a mirrored maker suite, generous reading areas, a welcoming community lounge, and tucked-away spaces for quiet study.
Metal defines much of the library’s character. Designed by JRA Architects and MSR Design — winners of a 2023 AIA/ALA Library Building Award — the project showcases Graphite Gray Pre-Weathered Zinc from Rheinzink. The zinc, embossed in varied textures, pairs with clear anodized aluminum for soffits and curtain wall caps, plus painted steel canopies, balancing reflectivity with moody depth.
“The interplay between the dark, weathered zinc and the crisp anodized aluminum highlights the building’s geometry,” said Marty Merkel, AIA, associate at JRA Architects. “We used standard panel dies to keep costs low, but the result feels completely custom.”
Rigidized fabricated the zinc into double standing seam panels, some with a distinctive striated emboss. Rheinzink’s pre-patina process gives the metal its aged look, which will only deepen as the years go by.
Beyond aesthetics, metal was a smart choice for sustainability and budget. “The metal structure and cladding let us reduce weight and material use. By combining conventional panel sizes in a randomized pattern, we achieved a unique look without breaking the bank,” said JRA Principal Colin Drake, AIA.
The library sits just north of the historic Bellevoir estate, opening up new sightlines to this 1867 landmark. “Minimal structure means uninterrupted park views and a light, inviting presence along the landscape,” Drake said. The mix of textures and finishes gave the design team freedom to sculpt the building to its site and purpose.
Using embossed 24-gauge zinc allowed for thinner, lighter panels, reduced oil canning, and created subtle shifts in color and shade. YKK AP America provided hundreds of custom profiles for the aluminum curtainwall caps.
The building’s structure supports wide-open, column-free interiors filled with natural light. “We really leaned into the expressive qualities of steel, letting it animate both the exterior canopies and interior maker spaces,” Merkel said.
To control costs, the team sized all structural spans to fit standard long-span joists. “Even with exterior columns sloped for effect, the spans remain simple, eliminating cantilevers and framing our outdoor plazas in a striking way,” Drake said.
Expanses of glass and deep roof overhangs on the northeast side flood the library with daylight, provide winter solar heating, and offer summer shade. Tubular daylighting devices brighten the interior, while responsive LED lighting and high-performance HVAC systems keep energy use low.
Materials like steel, aluminum, and zinc all feature high recycled content. Other sustainable touches include geothermal, a pressurized plenum and raised access floors for climate control, and recycled rubber in creative spaces.
These strategies help the building outperform typical library energy use by 70%, surpassing the AIA 2030 challenge.
But the library’s impact goes beyond architecture. Serving a previously underserved area, it offers robust community services: children’s and teen areas, meeting rooms, computers, Wi-Fi, and senior programs. More than 20,000 people visit each month.
“Northeast Regional is a stunning library in a park-like setting, poised to spark creativity and innovation for generations,” concluded Director Lee Burchfield.