Sherwood Design Engineers helped deliver Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library opening

Sherwood Design Engineers says it played a key civil and water systems role in the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota, which opened to the public July 4, 2026. The project combines water independence, landscape design and conservation messaging at a site meant to reflect Theodore Roosevelt’s Badlands connection.

Why it matters: - The Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library is positioned as a high-profile civic and conservation project tied to the United States’ 250th anniversary. - Sherwood Design Engineers’ work shows how engineering can support water-limited projects with systems built to fit the landscape instead of fighting it. - The project is being presented as a model for water independence and ecosystem-based design in climate-stressed regions.

What happened: - Sherwood Design Engineers participated in the opening of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library in Medora, North Dakota. - The library officially opened to the public on July 4, 2026. - Sherwood served as the library’s civil and water systems engineer. - The firm says its work helped turn an architectural concept into a regenerative civic landscape.

The details: - Sherwood led integrated design for landscape experience infrastructure, earth forming, stormwater management and a closed-loop water system. - The water system is designed to allow the library to operate within the water available on the site. - The project is in one of North America’s most remote and environmentally demanding settings. - Sherwood says the design works toward the Living Building Challenge Water Petal. - Stormwater is slowed, spread and absorbed through terraces, prairies and natural conveyance systems. - The landscape is designed to mirror how water historically moved across the Badlands. - Each rainfall event is intended to activate the landscape and support the ecosystem. - The infrastructure is meant to be visible and part of the visitor experience, not hidden underground. - Jason Loiselle, principal at Sherwood Design Engineers, said the team designed water systems that slow, treat and reuse water while restoring natural hydrology. - Ed O’Keefe, CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, said Sherwood helped create water and site systems that honor the rhythms of the place. - The library is described as a carbon-neutral beacon for conservation and a training ground for future leaders. - Sherwood says the project offers a replicable model for civic and cultural projects in water-constrained and climate-stressed regions.

Between the lines: - The announcement frames infrastructure as part of the visitor experience and the conservation story, not just behind-the-scenes support. - The project links Roosevelt’s legacy of active citizenship and environmental stewardship to a modern design strategy built around ecological performance. - Sherwood is using the library to showcase a broader argument: civil engineering can restore site function while serving public architecture.

What's next: - The library will continue offering immersive experiences that ask visitors to bring Roosevelt’s “get in the arena” message back to their communities. - Sherwood is likely to point to the library as a reference project for future work on water independence and regenerative site systems. - The firm’s broader pitch is that similar approaches can be adapted for other climate-pressured civic projects.