Twin Oaks Library Branch

 The current Twin Oaks Branch, located at the corner of South Fifth Street and West Mary Street, was built to replace the former Twin Oaks Branch, which was located in a lease space since its inception in 1956. Since 1992, the Branch had been in a 5,360 square foot storefront space in the Twin Oaks Shopping Center located near the intersection of South Congress Avenue and Oltorf Street. In the 1998 City of Austin General Obligation Bond Election voters approved the funding to build a permanent 10,000 square foot branch to serve this area of the city. The new Twin Oaks Branch opened in August of 2010. This modern and sustainable Branch, designed by Hatch + Ulland Owen Architects and built by Jamail & Smith Construction, features a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) template that incorporates recycled bricks for the exterior, recyclable carpeting and furniture fabrics, and a sophisticated lighting system that automatically dims when there is sufficient day light. The Branch is equipped with a rainwater harvesting system and a 25.2 kW solar energy system that generates about 32,760 kWh annually (power sufficient for about three standard sized homes). The building also includes 15 huge timber trusses made of reclaimed Douglas Fir which saved about 30 large trees. The Twin Oaks Branch interior design scheme earned a First Place Commercial Interior Design Award for Sustainable Design in 2010.