VISION 36—OPEN BOOK
Only a few years ago suburban libraries
were on the verge of extinction.
The world, it seemed, had passed by the
printed word. Well, the wheel and word
has turned. In almost no time every
municipality has, or wants, to climb
back on board the library bandwagon.
As civic buildings go, they don't come
with much more municipal grunt.
PROJECT
Rockdale Library, Sydney
DESIGN
CK Design International
in association with
Leffer Simes Architects and
Stevenson & Turner
DESIGN AND CONSTRUCT
Kane Constructions Pty Ltd
Brewster Hjorth Architects
PRINCIPAL GLAZING
Viridian PerformaTech
Viridian ComfortHush
TM
TM
TEXT, IMAGES & FILM
Peter & Jenny Hyatt
The doomsdayers who predicted the end of the printed word
were proven horribly wrong. Rather than one or the other,
books and computers have joined forces. And it's involving
a fine blend of everyone from Baby-Boomers through to
New Millennials.
Seventeen kilometres to Sydney CBD, Rockdale has just
acquired one of the city's finest libraries with an outdated
facility on the remainder pile replaced by a best-seller.
Libraries are now considered a social glue-pot bringing
together a broad demographic and ethnicity. The pressure
on architects is to make their designs dance rather than fall
asleep. It's a strategy with a direct bearing on how libraries
are utilized. Are they active or passive?
Rather than a shy stance, Rockdale exhibits a free-form,
athletic flow right across its three levels. Tall voids, study
options, assorted meeting places and specialist nodes
are all catered for in a library of complex pedigree.