Stewart Hollenstein in association with Colin Stewart Architects are the winners of the Green Square library and plaza design competition.
The competition received over 160 entrants from around the world which was cut down to a shorlist of five architects which were chosen by the jury to submit more detailed designs.
View of Green Square library and plaza from Botany Road
The winning architects will now work with the City of Sydney to refine the design and plan for construction in 2017.
The Stewart Hollenstein and Colin Stewart's design incorporates an outdoor plaza to create multiple sites for play, work and rest. Some of the buildings are below ground while bookshelves sit outdoors in the plaza. The design includes an amphitheatre, a storytelling garden, water play zone and wide open spaces for festivals.
View from under tower building open air ampitheatre beyond
The jury citation said that the Stewart Hollenstein design was:
"By far the most interesting and stimulating Stage 1 design and was unanimously agreed that it was simply the most appropriate proposal for this site."
View looking west across plaza from the sunlounges
The jury was impressed by the verbal presentation which addressed all major points as well as the design which incorporated as much sunlight as possible for the single level building.
"The single level library creates an efficiency of planning, punctuated by ‘pop-up’ and ‘cut-out’ elements that express themselves at plaza level.
The single level, generally open-plan library and the ‘field approach’ for the plaza with scattered elements across the site was found to be a robust strategy that would be able to accommodate rigorous design development without significant change to the substance of the idea."
