The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Sets New Environmental Performance Standards
July 16, 2026
A nearly mile-long looping boardwalk approaches the library through restored native grasslands. Photo courtesy of JLG Architects.
SPOTLIGHT
A striking new building complex opened in western North Dakota on July 4, though motorists traveling nearby could easily miss it. The 96,000-square-foot Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library (TRPL) is embedded within a Badlands butte, topped by a fully walkable, ADA-accessible living roof that blends seamlessly into the surrounding landscape. Designed by global architecture and landscape architecture firm Snøhetta, with JLG Architects serving as architect of record and Confluence as landscape architect of record, the library tells a story of environmental conservation through its architecture.
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library Foundation challenged the design team to create a building that would harmonize with its surroundings while protecting the area’s natural beauty and ecological integrity. In response, the architects used rammed-earth walls made from local soils, echoing the distinctive geology of the Badlands’ buttes and canyons.
Photos 1–10: Atop and inside the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library. Photos 1–3, 5, and 7 courtesy of the TRPL Foundation. 4 and 8 courtesy of JLG Architects. 6, 9, and 10 by Chad Ziemendorf.
Inside, Forest Stewardship Council–certified cross-laminated timber (CLT) and glue-laminated timber (glulam) provide both structural support and visual warmth. Above, the 121,000-square-foot living roof is planted with approximately 140,000 native prairie plugs, helping reduce stormwater runoff while contributing to regional prairie restoration efforts.
The library’s energy systems are equally ambitious. A network of 216 geothermal wells and photovoltaic panels located on and near the site is designed to generate 105 percent of the building’s annual energy needs, allowing the facility to produce more energy than it consumes.
Together with a restored grassland and numerous other sustainability strategies, TRPL is positioned to become the world’s first carbon-positive presidential library.
“TRPL is set to achieve three concurrent certifications at the highest level, including full Living Building Challenge (LBC), LEED Platinum, and SITES Platinum,” says JLG Architects’ sustainability manager Chayna Claeys, AIA. “Once the LBC performance period has commenced, TRPL will be a ‘living’ building and brilliant example of energy independence, making more energy than it consumes.”
“The grand opening was extraordinary, the culmination of years of hard work and collaboration,” says JLG CEO Michelle Mongeon Allen, FAIA. “The visceral reaction from visitors was our most breathtaking accomplishment. People weren’t just inspired by the experience; they were changed—moved by the deep connection they felt between the building and the earth beneath and around them.
“Many pressed their palms against the rammed-earth walls,” she continues. “This is a destination that will be felt long after it is seen.”
The TRPL project team included international design architect and design landscape architect Snøhetta, local architect of record JLG Architects, landscape architect of record Confluence, and construction manager JE Dunn.
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