Edward Bennett Williams Law Library

Washington, DC, United States

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Washington University School of Law

Edward Bennett Williams Law Library

Washington, DC, United States

Firm

Hartman-Cox Architects

Type

Educational › Library

STATUS

Built

YEAR

1989

This full-block building contains one of the largest law libraries in the country and forms the first component of a new complex that triples the size of the existing Law Center. The library stands to the north and across from Edward Durrell Stone's existing 1960's Law Center and both complements and contrasts with it. The building accommodates up to 500,000 volumes and study seating for 1,200 students, combining flexible stack and reader spaces with a double height main reading room. Designed to recall traditional university library reading rooms, the reading room is expressed on the exterior in the two-story windows facing north onto Massachusetts Avenue.