The School of Architecture & Environment and Associate Professor in Architecture, Daisy-O'lice Williams, celebrated the recognition of a student project in the 2025 Steel Design Student Competition, announced by The American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) and the Association of Collegiate Schools of Architecture (ACSA). The competition recognized thirteen projects that explored a variety of issues related to the use of steel in design and construction. The two categories in the competition were library and open. The project earned an honorable mention in the library category which invited students to submit design proposals for a library in a community of their choice.
The students submitted a design that reimagined the role of a space in Santa Clara, OR, which is an unincorporated community overlooked in the broader urban development of the nearby city, Eugene. The students' submission about the design is as follows:
Beyond traditional library functions, the design prioritizes two complementary programs: a family center and a youth-oriented design workshop. Together, they form a hybrid public resource where access to knowledge meets creative empowerment. The architecture is centered around visibility, of structure, of activity, and of community life. Exposed steel framing highlights the structural logic of the building, fostering transparency and inviting curiosity.
The design workshop, fully visible from the public realm, puts making on display, inspiring young visitors to engage with design as a tool for self-expression and problem-solving. Vibrant color is used strategically throughout the space to signal zones of energy, learning, and creativity; creating a dynamic environment that reflects the pulse of its users. A gradient from exterior to interior guides visitors through layered thresholds, where public plazas, transitional canopies, and active gathering zones ease the boundary between the neighborhood and the library.
This porous edge encourages daily use and makes the building a natural extension of community life. At its core, the project aspires to create a structural feeling of place, where the steel skeleton is not only an expressive design element but also a metaphor for support, resilience, and growth. The library is both a beacon and a workshop: a place where knowledge is stored and made, where families are welcomed, and where young people find space to imagine and build their futures.
