Suters Architects drew on previous experience in public buildings to create a library ‘layered’ in history in Blacktown, NSW. Stephanie McDonald reports.
Suters' brief was to retrofit a library within the existing Blacktown Leisure Centre in NSW.
A masterplan had previously been prepared by the firm for the upgrade of the entire site, proposing to increase the existing western carpark and provide a connection between the two lots to improve traffic flow.
The library was to be located to the west of the existing leisure centre and was designed to form a forecourt between the new building, existing building and carpark to help create a ‘civic’ presence and entrance to the facility.
Suters designed the project on the concept of ‘layering’, which was drawn from the site’s several transfor mations over time, from pre-settle ment to farmland to residential development.
“The built form of the library rep resents these layers. The façade depicts these periods like the pages of a book — a type of three dimensional timeline. The façades wrap around the rectangular form of the building and splay open to the south to create openness with in the space,” says Shane Wood, sen ior associate at Suters Architects.
“The themes are also expressed internally in the library fitout. The library addition continues the grid- like pattern that is expressed in the existing building, which was designed by Cox Group, and explores the edges of structure, technology and entertainment using the spirited colours of the Australian landscape.”
Wood says while co-locating com munity services, such as leisure and health within one building is com mon in Victoria, he says it is only slowly gaining acceptance in NSW.
“The different facilities within the Centre all share the building’s servic es, which ultimately makes better business sense. From a social per spective it is also about creating a ‘village’ where a range of activities takes place,” he says.
It can also be about encouraging a healthier society. Woods points out a person may visit the library, but due to the close proximity of a gym and pool in the same building, they may be more inclined to visit those health centres than if they were located sep arately. And vice versa.
“Quite apart from increasing user numbers and council revenue, there is the broader idea of creating healthier, well-rounded citizens who have a wide range of cultural, educa tional and leisure experiences,” Wood says. “From a design perspective, this means a strong emphasis on plan ning, zoning and wayfinding so that there is more likelihood that a mem ber of the public will use more than one service.
“For example, the security check point that is typically found at the front door of a library was located at the main entry doors of the dual facility to allow the library to sprawl into the main lobby space, thus blur ring the edges of the spatial relation ships and creating a common lobby for community integration.”
The materials used in the project were utilised for their ability to reflect the ‘layering’ concept of the design. For example, signage to the external blades on the wall of the library tell the history of the site. The blades front the street and also pro vide a ‘face’ for the building, which was previously lacking.
The first feature wall also repre sents the early keepers of the land and is expressed via Innowood, a timber-like product. Suters had origi nally specified real timber, but due to client concerns about graffiti, Innowood was specified.
The second panel has metal cladding, which reflects the rural sheds of the colonial era. The final panel features Hebel cladding with images embossed on it, representing the current urbanisation of the area.
“At the immediate entrance to the area there is a series of recycled tim ber poles, which represent the origi nal woodland area and the beginnings of the land. The rest of the building, including the public piazza, was clad in Alucobond cladding,” Wood says.
“Neutral tones were specified so that it didn’t compete with the origi nal building, which featured a lot of different materials and bright colours, such as reds and blues.” However, colour was used internally, with the yellow of the figures on the external panels mirrored on feature walls inside the library.
Sustainability was addressed in the project through passive and active design strategies. Low level louvres at the northern end of the building and high level south facing awning win dows provide crossflow ventilation.
Suters also used reverse brick con struction and thermal walls to reduce heating loads; rainwater is stored on-site for toilet flushing and landscape irrigation; and south-fac ing skylights provide natural day light. When additional heating or cooling is required, mixed mode air- conditioning combines both natural and mechanical ventilation and straight air-conditioning.
Wood says projects which involve co-located facilities means dealing with multiple stakeholders. “That isn’t a negative, but it certainly keeps things interesting and means that an architect really has to have very good communication skills to get consen sus and keep people thinking big pic ture for the facility as a whole, rather than just how it will affect their patch,” he says.
“When you see thousands of peo ple at the opening all looking so excited and then hear about how user statistics are breaking records, it really is very satisfying.”
