The ABC Library @ Central and Unser received the 2016 Jeff Harner Award for Contemporary Architecture in New Mexico. Opened in 2015, it is the first city library to be built in 17 years. It sits on the northwest corner of Central and Unser in Albuquerque. The building features a variety of reading areas, including one for adults and one for children. A 150-seat community room is a feature that can be rented for meetings. Located on the old Route 66, with terrific views of the Sandia Mountains, the design team worked closely with the library staff to ensure the building had a presence on the street. The goal was to increase the visual importance of the building to create a landmark in the community.

2016 Jury 

Rick Joy, Rick Joy Architects
Margaret Griffin, Griffin Enright Architects
Gabriella Gutierrez, UNM
Juan Miró, UT Austin
Emily Silva, UNM