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The Design

The Design

“Forget everything you think you know about academic libraries …”

This was the first instruction in the high concept brief issued to architects participating in the competitive design process of the new library.

It was the best starting point for the University to achieve its aspirations to develop a new library building as a key campus facility and as a 21st Century learning environment. These aspirations are embodied in the following principles:

New Beginning

The key design concepts for the building comprise:

• light and connection
• strong sense of place

The building design must embody these concepts while providing for the following:

• briefed accommodation
• constraints of the project budget
• strong relationship to the rest of the campus
• the principles defined by the Campus Development Plan 2004

Learner Centred Design

“Where knowledge counts, people count more than ever” (John Seely Brown).

Client “learning” spaces will form the central focus of the new library:

• 3,000 flexible, configurable study spaces based on new approaches to learning space design for new generations of students, including students with special needs, researchers and postgraduate students; attention to acoustic issues associated with individual v. interaction spaces
• extended hours operation – achieved with different building zones and minimisation of separate service points; minimal built in furniture
• wireless network and power everywhere for access to digital learning and information environments
• access to food and beverage services
• single, flexible staff area for 150 people (125 FTE)

For more information:

Physical Collections

• Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) for 80% of collection to reduce the floor space required by the print collections and improve service delivery
• first installation of its type in Australia
• open access shelving for 20% of collection to be protected by a theft detection system.

Related Information:

Environmentally Sustainable Design

Sustainability is considered to be a key aspect of the planning and design, and furniture and equipment selections, of the University’s capital projects.

As a principle, energy demand is to be minimised through the adoption of passive design solutions as a first priority, ahead of active solutions requiring energy consuming engineering systems.

Key sustainability principles to be considered in the concept design:

• maximise building and siting orientation opportunities
• appropriate solar access
• exploit natural ventilation and lighting opportunities
• design integration of sustainable systems
• appropriate material selection
• renewable in lieu of finite resources
• design to promote reduced power consumption
• alternative and low impact power sources

The current library caters to 5,500 visits per day. It is essential that selection of finishes, furniture, fixtures and equipment are sufficiently robust and wherever possible provide for a minimum forty year life span.