The Embudo Valley Library is a community resource for the residents of Dixon and the surrounding areas in northern New Mexico. It includes a community space, teen reading room, computer resources and access to a 20,000+ volume collection. Energy efficiency was a prime factor in the design for this building. It is laid out with passive solar orientation and abundant south-facing glazing. An adobe trombe wall on the south façade, adobe interior walls and concrete slab provide thermal mass to store solar heat gain and moderate temperature swings in summer months. High clerestory windows provide ample daylight to the building interior while also ventilating the cooling through stack effect ventilation. Abundant insulation on the exterior walls & roof round out the energy efficiency design features.
While the energy efficiency design elements determined the building’s form, Interior finishes and light give life. Exposed wood trusses & ceilings combined with earthen plaster and vibrant colors give the building warmth. An open plan creates a spacious interior while providing good sight lines enabling the building to be staffed by only one employee at a time. While the Embudo Valley Library has been a cherished community organization for some time, this new home allows it to truly live up to its potential of being a community nucleus for Dixon.
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