MGS Architects has finished the New Generation Bendigo Library after four years of design and development.
Offering state-of-the-art library and community services, the redevelopment focused on three core ideas, which combined to form a new environment. These included the civic centre of Bendigo as a context, the heritage value of the site, the diagonal alignment of the parks’ interface, and scaling the building in order to respond to view lines, which direct the eye to the Town Hall.
Incorporating the pre-existing 1984 building, the development fronts to public gardens in the centre of Bendigo.
Designed to offer a flexible and inclusive library, the redevelopment spans 4000sqm over two levels, which allow people to exchange ideas and interact through community programmes and chance.
Through design, the use of the library’s frontage on the park, which is a more intimate space due to the building’s increased footprint, has increased as more casual ‘browsing’ opportunities have been provided to visitors.
MGS Architects directors Eli Giannini and Joshua Wheeler led the project team.
“Our projects are recognised for creating places for people,” Wheeler says.
“We’re extremely proud of this project. We’ve provided high quality architecture and interior design for the Bendigo LIbrary, and we look forward to its continued success in the community.”
City of Bendigo project director Marg Allan says, “The thing I am most proud of is the community response. In the first 10 days alone, 20,000 people have already visited the library, with 700 new members.
“That is just amazing,” Allan says.
Images: Andrew Latreille
