Library Buildings around the World

The library is primarily a naturally ventilated building. It employs a combination of fixed vertical glass louvres and external
automatic blinds which provide sun shading and protection from wind buffering allowing the opening of windows in comfort. The
facade responds to the local climate ensuring optimal environmental conditions at minimum energy costs. (Shay)
Navan Education Centre, Navan-Athlummney – Ireland 2000
This building provides facilities for in-service training of teachers. It consists of a series of meeting rooms and a main seminar room,
state-of-the-art library/resource room, an IT training suite and administration and general social areas. These various elements are
expressed as individual volumes, joined by a glazed foyer and a two storey linear circulation space. The most significant space is the
main seminar room, which is expressed as a large volume over the main entrance, addressing the north-west corner of the site
nearest the town. The foyer/social area - the first space which one enteres - can be used for informal gatherings, and it is glazed
towards the existing stone perimeter stone wall. The remaining accommodation is organised around a double height, top lit
circulation space with the larger rooms on the western side and the smaller spaces facing eastwards towards an earth bank. Parking
is placed towards the northern boundary and is surrounded by planting. A triangular lawn space is formed between the building and
the earth bank. The building is finished in a smooth render. (Shay)
Blackrock Education Centre, Dún Laoghaire, Dublin – Ireland 1997
2.000 sqm
This was the first purpose built in service training building for teachers to be comissioned by the Department of Education &
Science. The project creates a private inner courtyard, around which are grouped the various elements of the programme. Entry to
the building is via a smaller outer courtyard which establishes the transition from the campus to the more private world of the centre
The first and most open part of the entrance hall is addressed by the elliptical seminar room, the library and the administration and
director's office suite. Leading off the foyer is a linear circulation/meeting area which looks onto the courtyard. It also serves the
group rooms, which can be interconnected in a variety of combinations. The library, with its reading area is also expressed as a
special element. The final, most private side of the garden is formed by the research base which looks back towards the entrance
foyer. The courtyard is of rolled gravel and is planted with specimen trees. It is a tranquil space, acting as a focus around which the
elements are placed. Externally, the building appears as an amalgamation of various forms around a walled enclosure, with trees
visible from the outside. the external finish is an off-white render, rather like the colour of Portland stone. (Shay)
Arthouse, Multimedia Centre For The Arts, Dublin – Ireland 1995
Project Particulars, Cost € 3.100.000, Contracting Authority Temple Bar Properties Ltd.
Awards:
Regional Award 1997
Arthouse is a four storey over basement building incorporating an existing 19th century house. It houses the first irish multi media
exhibition / installation / performance space with full recording facilities and production unit at basement level, a large exhibition
area for documentative exhibitions at ground floor, a library, catalogue archives, and networked information resources at first floor.
Facilities also include a commissioning agency, a large workshop / lecture room for training and development and a suite of rental
offices along with accommodation for artists agencies,
In urban design terms the project forms one side of a new Curved Street which constitutes part of the Temple Bar Framework Plan
by Group 91 Architects of which this practice was a constituent member. The building also creates a new end to the long city block
between the Curved Street and Dame Street. It has a more transparent centre corresponding to the void of the city block and allows
south light to penetrate through the facade to the new street. This central space takes the form of a raised toplit atrium which
becomes the focus of the building and which can be opened onto the street for special events or performances. (Shay)
The design of the Arthouse required that it defined one side of the new Curved St. in Temple Bar, and that it gave expression to a
new building typology.
With considerable skill the architect has fulfilled both aspiartions and created a building of serious architectural quality.
The external exposure of the light filled central space connects it to the street and conmfirms its accessibility. The disposition and
scale of wall opes reflect the use of internal spaces. The corners are not junctions but continuations of the main wall plane.
With clarity and style the Arthouse makes a significant contribution to the redevelopment of Temple Bar.
Client's Comments
Arthouse is the first purpose built multimedia centre for the arts in the world. The challenge was huge in both the development of
the brief and the design of the building, as there were no role models on which to work. Its architectural merit is not only that itis a
beautiful building but that it functions in practice to the best aspirations of its users. (http://www.irisharchitectureawards.ie)
Wilson Architecture, Cork – Ireland
http://www.wilsonarchitecture.ie
Libraries:
Post Graduate Research Library, UCC University College Cork, Cork – Ireland 2006
Four storey over basement extension to existing Boole Library consisting of 6000m2 largely comprising of reading rooms and group
study rooms providing additional 700 reader places and special collections areas. External materials include oxidised copper, red
sandstone and large areas of glazing that overlooks the original Victorian Quadrangle.
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