Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library

Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library

Medora, North Dakota

This iconic project is currently taking shape to honor America's 26^th President's life and legacy and his personal connection to North Dakota's Badlands.

Confluence is serving as the Landscape Architect of Record in collaboration with a design team led by New York-based design firm Snøhetta providing Landscape Architecture and Architecture and JLG Architecture as the local Architect of Record. Confluence brings local experience and ideas for how we can not only repair the native ecology on this site but also invite the public and the ranching community into the restoration process.

The Confluence team is working closely with Snøhetta, which envisions the library experience as a journey through a landscape of diverse habitats and destinations providing spaces for reflection and activity. These experiences are found along an elevated boardwalk that will connect to a network of more naturalized paths and the 144-mile-long Maah Daah Hey Trail.

Beyond construction documents and implementation, restoration of the native ecology will be facilitated through the collection of seeds from the surrounding landscape in partnership with North Dakota State University, local schools, citizens and project partners. Initial efforts will focus on the removal of invasive species and the propagation and reintroduction of native plants. Consideration for future maintenance needs and uses will include controlled livestock grazing.

The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is the landscape, with the immersive design of the grassland-covered building being but one component in a larger understanding of the badlands, human experience, and TR's conservation legacy. Inspired by the idea that this is not just a place for learning, but a place for fearless participation. The design creates opportunities for people to live out the library’s core tenets of daring greatly, thinking boldly, living passionately, and caring deeply. In the process, the design and implementation will repair and rebuild this uniquely American landscape for future generations to enjoy. This is an opportunity for citizenship in action.

The project is anticipated to be completed by July 4, 2026, to coincide with the 250^th anniversary of America and the Declaration of Independence. 

*All renderings and illustrations shown were prepared by Snøhetta and PLOMP.