Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library – Medora, ND
DETAILS
Architects: Snøhetta, Front, and JLG Architects
Builder: JE Dunn Construction
Photographer: Nic Lehoux
Recognition
Architectural Record
Exterior Cladding
CUSTOM Acetylated Modified Wood
The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, reflects the conservation values and environmental stewardship associated with the 26th president. The museum rests adjacent to Theodore Roosevelt National Park and continues to welcome people into its inventive legacy.
Designed by Snøhetta with Front and JLG Architects, the structure curves across both horizontal and vertical axes. Achieving that curvature prompted extensive early testing to build confidence in how the wood would respond once it reached the building.
At RESAWN’s facility, full-length boards were tested for bending, deflection, thickness, and fastening to better understand how the material could follow the building’s curved design. We provided preliminary recommendations and technical guidance, giving JE Dunn and the design team a foundation for further testing at JE Dunn’s off-site prebuild facility.
From there, large-scale samples with custom lengths were milled across a range of finishes and sent so the design team could see and handle real material before finalizing a decision. That groundwork produced a 200-square-foot field mockup comparing two full assemblies, including a custom tongue-and-groove profile.
From bending trials and fastening studies to custom profiles and full-scale mockups, each step turned an inventive architectural idea into a system that could be fabricated, assembled, and repeated across the building. The result reflects the same spirit of innovation embedded in the library itself: research, testing, and collaboration used to make its most ambitious parts possible.
Snøhetta brings architecture and landscape into close conversation, shaping places that respond to both people and site.
Front pairs façade engineering with architectural innovation, using analysis and material expertise to turn complex building envelopes into durable, buildable systems.
JLG Architects combines human experience with architectural and technical expertise to create spaces shaped by people, land, and long-term purpose.
JE Dunn brings construction leadership and field expertise to projects, guiding teams from design development through delivery with a focus on coordination, constructability, and long-term performance.
