The Wheaton Regional Library + Community Recreational Center is a 92,000 square foot structure situated on the corner of Georgia Avenue in the heart of Wheaton, MD. The project features a reading room, a gym on par in size with the largest in the county, an elevated track on the second level above the gym’s basketball courts, computer labs, an arts and crafts room, a pottery room, a vendor cafe, a weight room, an upper-level Social Hall, a children’s library, a teen area, a used bookstore, and a learning kitchen facility.

Outdoor features include an entry circle with handicapped parking in the center. A lower level parking garage with electric car charging stations. A large green space to the north of the building, serving as a multipurpose field for the community.

Special angled bay windows on the Georgia Avenue side redirect the setting sun while filling the gym with light. Trespa paneling on the facade adds texture and allowed the designers to create a welcoming color scheme.

The project’s eco-friendly design features vegetative roof areas, high-performance mechanical and lighting systems including LED lights, controls and sensors and regional and recycled materials with low VOC.

The project achieved LEED Gold Certification.