When Avery Romer wakes up to complete her assignments, she heads to the new and expanded Julian’s at the Kennedy Library. The new coffee shop is among the changes that earned the library the Merit Award at the 2026 AIA San Diego Design Awards.
Miller Hull, the planning and architecture firm behind the library’s renovation, created other changes, including reopening the central courtyard, featuring exhibits on the first floor and simplifying the layout, according to a Cal Poly press release.
The library earned the award for turning the space into “a welcoming, accessible and sustainable hub for student learning.”
“I am someone who loves to go and study somewhere and get coffee,” said Roemer, an experience and event management sophomore. “So I feel like this is the perfect place that combines those two, where I don’t feel like I need to actually go to a coffee shop, and it’s on the dining dollars.”
The Kennedy Library had not seen any major changes since it was built in the late 1970s. This 200,000-square-foot project started in summer 2023 and cost Cal Poly $78 million.
Miller Hull and the contractor, Hensel Phelps, wanted to expand the sense of community in the library, bringing it back as “the beating heart” of campus, according to Miller Hull.
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The Kennedy Library was also in the American Library’s 2026 Design Showcase, one of 15 library designs in the collection. The magazine describes the Kennedy Library as a brutalist landmark “transformed into a bright, open center of activity,” focusing on how the redesign brings in more natural lighting.
Matthew Gordon, civil engineering senior, echoes these sentiments.Â
“The courtyard, yeah, I go out there sometimes just to get some work done, get some fresh air,” Gordon said. “It’s nice for students.”
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In addition to expanding the courtyard, the renovation brought more gathering spaces for exhibits and events.
After two-and-a-half years, the construction was completed in 2025 and earned a LEED Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council for eco-friendly construction.
The library’s new heating and cooling system reduces energy consumption by 30%, according to Miller Hull.
The San Luis Obispo Community can stay up to date with updates and events on the Library Services website.