Colorado College's Tutt Library Expansion & Transformation Earns a 2019 AIA/ALA Library Building Award

Designed for net-zero sustainability, the expansion & renovation of the Tutt Library included a formal entry plaza, three outdoor terraces, and generous fenestration, providing views of the Rocky Mountains Lower Range.
April 4, 2019
The expansion and transformation of Colorado College’s Tutt Library has been recognized with a 2019 AIA/ALA Library Building Award. In the jury’s estimation, the Tutt Library project represents “not just a successful learning center, but an enduring example of architectural excellence.” The expansion reverses the former inward focus of the facility, designed by Walter Netsch in 1961, and introduces generous fenestration and three outdoor terraces, affording users a strong connection to the campus and its location, the eastern foot of the Rocky Mountains. Most significantly, along with a spacious expansion and complete renovation, the project is designed to achieve net zero energy, making it currently the nation’s largest 24/7 net zero energy academic library.