How do you create a distinctively ‘local’ library?

Working closely with community stakeholders, the design process involved tracing the line of the nearby Murray River, then superimposing this as the cut line on a curvilinear timber battened screen.

The result is a dynamic façade that wraps the perimeter of the library, filtering & throwing light into the internal library spaces. A central pathway & ceiling element, acting as a way-finding spine, runs through the centre of the library. At its edges, a series of abstract punctuations on the perimeter allow for private & flexible break out spaces. The effect is a community space both highly flexible & adaptable.

Located on the site of the existing Civic Centre, it encompasses library spaces, reading spaces, community spaces & new technology areas. Conscious of its place & identity, it embodies and celebrates the idea of a ‘local’ library, with design language that is evocative of the popular Murray landscapes.

Shortlisted for the AIA Victorian Architecture Awards (2019) Shortlisted for the ALIA Australian Library Design Awards 2019 (Public)