Library Buildings around the World

United Kingdom
3Dreid, Birmingham – UK
http://www.3dreid.com
Libraries:
Heart of Slough, Slough – UK planning 2008
Client: Slough Borough Council: A new library, museum, central Adult learning facility and Café. In addition, the development
provides a valuable opportunity to regenerate the public realm of the area and a new garden square will form the focus of this.
internally, the scheme will provide a high quality environment using innovative design and materials creating a simple
integrated structural solution promoting low energy consumption and carbon emissions. The building will be flexible, robust
and adaptable providing a high degree of future proofing against changes in use and the external climate. (3drei)
Earlston High School, Earlston – UK 2009
Client Bilfinger Berger BOT / John Graham (Dromore) Ltd, GIFA / Construction Cost 15,076sqm / £27.8m, No. of Pupils / £/sqm /
£/Pupil 1000 / £1,844 / £27,800
One of three new build High Schools designed by 3DReid, as part of the public private partnership between Scottish Borders Council
and Scottish Borders Education Partnership, in challenging locations, each with site specific issues including high marine exposure,
breeding bird habitat and a flooding river. The schools provide high quality educational, social and sporting facilities within their
respective communities. An integrated Public Library, Vocational Training Centres and a Horticultural Department further
enhance these community facilities.
The location and topography of the site at Earlston has dictated the form of this rural High School which caters for 1000 pupils and
community use. The school steps up the site; 3-storeys to the front – giving an impressive public façade – to 2-storey to the rear –
giving a more appropriate human scale to the playgrounds behind. Retaining walls are used to hide the Plantrooms and also to
create an upper viewing gallery to multi-use games area (MUGA) and a covered walkway links two external blocks.
Innovations & added value
Natural daylighting and ventilation was an integral part of the initial designs. The classrooms have higher than specified ceilings and
this allows larger windows permitting light to penetrate deep into the spaces. The greater volume also allows air to circulate more
freely and tempered natural ventilation is introduced into the classrooms from wall vents, as opposed to the windows.
The wide circulation routes are naturally lit from above and lightwells allow daylight to penetrate all levels – and allow a visual link
between floor and departments within the school.
This fundamental environmentally sound design, and the inclusion of sustainable design features (Biomass Boilers, wind turbines,
etc.) have enabled the schools to achieve an EPC Rating “A” and a “Excellent” BREEAM pre-construction rating. Note: We are still
awaiting the post-construction rating from BRE. (3Dreid)
Adjaye Associates, London – UK
http://www.adjaye.com
Libraries:
Rivington Place, Stuart Hill Library, London – UK 2007
Rivington Place opened in October 2007, the first new-build public gallery in London since the Hayward Gallery opened in 1968.
Designed by architect David Adjaye OBE, it won a RIBA award in 2008. This new and iconic cultural landmark celebrates the 20
year vision of two organisations: Iniva (the Institute of International Visual Arts) and Autograph ABP. It has established a
permanent home for the profiling of international perspectives in contemporary visual arts and the diversity of visual culture.
David Adjaye is one of Britain’s leading contemporary architects, whose designs emphasise the experience as well as the function of
architecture. Born in Tanzania, his influences range from African art and architecture to contemporary art and music. He has
collaborated with numerous artists including Olafur Eliasson and Chris Ofili. The unusual lattice pattern of Rivington Place was
influenced by a Sowei mask from Sierra Leone. This affects the internal space by creating windows at different heights; the lower
ones giving views to the street, the upper ones giving views of the sky. In larger spaces, the windows produce an ambiguous sense of
scale as their position and size contradict the effects of perspective. The two public façades are distinguished by a chequerboard grid
of black pre-cast concrete panels. The eight rows of windows relate to five storeys of accommodation with the effect that the building
appears taller than it actually is. Towards the top of the building the openings grow shorter, while along the length of the Rivington
Place façade they widen. The building previously occupying the site had been demolished some years ago, the volume of the new
building has similar proportions to some of the warehouses in the area. The materials and colours update the architectural language
of the older buildings whilst responding to the use and purpose of the building. The 1,445 square metre building contains two project
spaces for the presentation of exhibitions, film screenings and talks. It also houses the Stuart Hall Library; education space;
photography archive; café; workspaces for local creative businesses and the offices of Iniva and Autograph ABP. The Stuart Hall
Library on the 2nd floor focuses on contemporary art from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the work of British artists from
different cultural backgrounds, many of the titles are not readily available in the UK. (http://www.londonopenhouse.org)
Idea Store Whitechapel, London – UK 2005
(restyling , see AEQUO)
Nominated for the Stirling Prize in 2006, the Idea Store Whitechapel is the flagship building programme based on a new
type of information and learning provision beeing pioneered by the London Borough of Tower Hamlets (Adjaye)
Local people had become disengaged with Tower Hamlet\'s libraries, which were often in inconvenient locations, inaccessible for
disabled people and in need of modernisation. Following a major public consultation, Tower Hamlets unveiled its plans to invest £30
million in a series of Idea Stores that would bring libraries up to date with modern lifestyles and community needs.
The first Idea Store opened in Bow in 2002. Over the next few years Idea Stores opened in Chrisp Street, Whitechapel and Canary
Wharf. Located at the heart of communities, amongst supermarkets and other shops, Idea Stores make library and learning facilities
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