Discover the untold stories behind the creation of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library with JLG’s podcast, “Bold by Nature” — where history and innovation converge in the heart of North Dakota’s Badlands. While Roosevelt first arrived in North Dakota on a hunting trip in 1883, it was his return that truly changed American history.
JLG’s podcast explores the remarkable collaboration behind the Library’s realization in an unexpected place: Medora, North Dakota. Hear from the passionate team at JLG Architects—founded in North Dakota—and their world-class partners as they share behind-the-scenes insights, challenges, and triumphs. Join the conversation as we uncover the pioneering spirit and bold civic vision defining this extraordinary destination.
In this episode, we go behind the scenes of one of the most ambitious features of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library: the living, walkable earth roof. We explore how the roof was conceived to mirror the natural contours of the Badlands, discuss how it captures every drop of rainfall on-site, and reminisce on summers spent hand-collecting seeds to plant native prairie plugs on the roof. The conversation will reflect upon what it means to build something that, over time, will sequester more carbon than it took to create. This is a story about design meeting dirt.
