The City of Greater Geelong has unveiled the design for a library in Armstrong Creek, a new southern suburb of Geelong. Billed as the suburb’s first civic and social infrastructure development, the library is designed by Buchan, who won a design competition for the project.
The three-level, 2,500-square-metre library will house a collection of 40,000 books and resources, along with spaces for children’s learning, youth programs and dedicated meeting spaces on level one, and creative spaces and bookable co-working amenities on level two. The ground floor will serve as the civic interface with direct access to the external terraces and the town centre.
To be built on the land of the Wadawurrung people, along Armstrong Creek, the library will take in views to Wurdi Youang (the You Yangs) and Mount Duneed. Buchan worked with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation in developing the design, based around the “living water”narrative.
“The waterways of this landscape to the Wadawurrung People are part of a much larger ecology and have been a natural meeting point and travelling route for centuries, offering a place of sustenance, fluidity, fertility and spirituality, known as ‘living water’,” said lead architect Aleksander Borek.
Armstrong Creek Library and Community Hub by Buchan.
“Just as living water gathers and nourishes us, our vision for the new library and community hub is to create a destination for the people of Armstrong Creek to gather and nourish at a central meeting point; a place of inspiration where the community and future generations can thrive together.”
The building’s distinctive circular windows are intended to reference concepts of solidarity and a united local community, while also framing views of the landscape.
“We’ve used the round window compositions to frame specific natural forms significant to Armstrong Creek, such as the You Yangs, and other meeting spots in the landscape,” said Borek. “There are also proposed educational plugs on the walls, describing to the user the cultural significance of landmarks they can see.”
The $18.48 million library is expected to be completed by early 2024.
Greater Geelong mayor Stephanie Asher said, “As the first social civic infrastructure in the suburb, the Armstrong Creek Library and Community Hub will be incredibly important for local residents as a place for lifelong learning, social connection and building a sense of community.”
The suburb of Armstrong Creek wa gazetted in 2012 from largely undeveloped land. At the 2016 census it was home to 4,247 people, but that number is expected to grow to up to 65,000.
Source: Architecture - architectureau
