Library Buildings around the World

McMorran and Gatehouse Architects, London – UK
http://www.mcmorranandgatehouse.com
Libraries:
New Lewes Library and Civic Open Space, Lewes, East Sussex – UK 2005
Located within the highly sensitive town centre of Lewes the building comprises full lending and reference libraries together
with the renowed Lewis Music Library and Sussex Room local history resource. This is the first such facility that Sussex County
Council has built within thirty years. The project has involved close liaison with the local community and District Council.
(McMorran)
Madoc Architecture, London – UK
http://www.madoc-architecture.com
fomer: A-EM, London – UK there: Imperial College, London
Malcolm Fraser Architects, Edinburgh – UK
http://www.malcolmfraser.co.uk
Libraries:
Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh-Conongate – UK 1999
Awards:
Civic Trust Award 2005
Prospect “Top 100 modern (post 1945) Scots Buildings”, Nr. 9 2005
Edinburgh Architectural Association Best Building of The Year 2000
Regeneration of Scotland: High Commendation 2000
Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) Award 2000
Royal Scottish Academy Gold Medal 1997
The Library is built to express joy and optimism in the future of poetry within our culture: an engine for cultural renewal rather
than a dry container for historical documents. This is made manifest in a building which engages with history, both literally (the
historic walls to the north and east) and metaphorically ( the rich resource of Scottish poetry) while opening up towards the westfacing
clase and courtyard reading area, and Salisbury Crags to the south. The building itself is framed with glass and oak infill´
panels and sliding shutters to close it up at night – making it characteristically Scottish in its juxtaposition of mass and delicacy.
Internally the plan is a simple double square with divisions suggested by the freestanding stair and lifts, lined by a continuous
wooden bookcase, with intimate study carrels. A simple monpitch roof with big circular skylights slopes up from the horizontal
datum struck by the high level windows above the masonry wall, towards the sun and the view. This allows a mezzanine to serve as a
member´s reading room, periodicals area and children´s reading area, with the stacks sliding aside to form an internal performance
space. The library is conceived as an “Elysian” grove, a happy place where enlightenment is achieved by bringing the books out from
their snug timber shelves to open them up in the light. (Malcolm)
Rick Mather Architects, London – UK
http://www.rickmather.com
Libraries:
Christ´s College Cambridge New Library, Cambridge – UK on design
1.400 m² new building, 520 m² existing building
Rick Mather Architects have been commissioned by Christ´s College Cambridge to design a new college library One of Cambridge´s
oldest colleges, the brief calls for the creation of an inspiring new library which will serve the whole College community, allowing
connectings to the historic First Court and the existing 1897 Bodley Library.
The Design for Christ´s College Cambridge creates a glass covered court between the South Range and the Bodley Library to create
a new study centre and library at the heart of the College. For the first time this will give the library a clear presence on the
College´s imposing First Court. The new four storey plus basement library proposes 200 reader spaces, four supervision rooms, a
rare bok reading room, manuscript store, 1.875 m of open access shelving, 625 m of closed access shelving and doubles the amount of
existing staff accommodation. The College´s desire to place the New Library at the heart of its academic community has led to the
choice of this central site over others. Its position will allow the library to have a Firts Court presence along with other key College
functions such as the Chapel and Hall. The college brief highlights the need for library accomodation, but also the addition for a
space where students can meet for informal study. Its will also allow a direct connection withe the Old Library. Additional benefits
are that disabled access to charles Darwin´s room and the Fellow´s Parlor via a new bridge. (Mather)
The Queen´s College, University of Oxford, Oxford – UK 2006 – 2012
Rick Mather Architects won the competition to design a new library and archive building for The Queen's College in 2006. The
college was founded in 1341 and the Upper Library dates from 1692-1695, originally believed to be from designs by Christopher
Wren (*30.10.1632 East Knoyle, Wiltshire – + 03.03.1723 Hampton Court). The Lower Library was created by Charles Robert
Cockerell (*27.04.1788 London – +17.09.1863 London) in 1843. The New Library's sloping rooflight above the reading room will give
magnificent views up to the west elevation of the old library. The building will provide an additional 7000 ft² (650m²) and will be
almost invisible below the library terrace. The new library is partially sunk into the Provost's garden and is linked to the old library.
Royal Horticultural Society, Library, London, Westminster – UK 1997 – 2001
4.250 m², ₤ 7.000.000
This extensive redevelopment of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) headquareters building in Vincent Square provides a new
home for the Lindley Library, offices and an entirely remodelled conference hall facility. Listed and dating back to the 1900s, the
existing building has been extended into hitherto unexploited basement areas and comprehensively refurbished to house the society´s
growth over the next 25 years. The Lindley Library is one of the most important botanical reference libraries in the world and
consists of over 50.000 volumes covering a wide range of subjects, including garden history, botany, flower arrangement, and
botanical art. It is used by scholars from all over the world. It is also much used as a resource by the RHS´s own garden writers,
46