RATCLIFF provided the design for seismic corrections and programmatic improvements to the 129,500 s.f. Bancroft Library (annex to the Doe Memorial Library and the most accessible and heavily used special collections library in the country). Located in the historically sensitive “classical core” area of the UC Berkeley campus, the project presented an opportunity to reevaluate how the Doe and Bancroft Libraries interface with each other, how security and operations within the Bancroft Library can be improved, and how the public perceives and uses the Bancroft Library. The final design included the creation of public exhibit space and increased visibility of the library overall. Because the annex is connected to Doe Memorial Library, planning included measures to allow the adjacent occupied spaces to continue to function, while mitigating any disruptions to on-going functions.

Associate Architect: Noll & Tam