GEELONG LIBRARY AND HERITAGE CENTRE

The $AU45.5 million redevelopment of the Geelong Library and Heritage Centre located in the heart of Geelong, Australia, has created a unique and visually striking space for the public to enjoy, one that breaks the mould of a traditional library. The nine-level, geodesic-tile-and-glass structure pays homage to the ideals of self-improvement, knowledge and curiosity as expressed in the domes of great reading rooms such as that in the State Library of Victoria.

The dome is clad with a geodesic tile array: 332 hexagons in 19 different sizes arranged around a single pentagon. The tiles are made of glassfibre-reinforced concrete (GRC) which gave the architect the ability to form various individual shapes and locate fixing points to suit the support structure. The lightweight GRC panels were manufactured off-site and completed with a secondary steel sub frame, and bolted to the primary steel structure to create the domed façade and roof.

The glazed frontage of the eroded sphere features aluminium clad steel framing with vision and mirror shadowbox glazing arranged in a complex stepping geometry that represents stalactite and stalagmite structures often seen in caves. The vision-glass and shadow boxes contribute to the building’s achievement of the highest possible thermal rating with the project being awarded a 5 Star Green Star – Public Building Design rating.

Awards:

. 2017 Property Council of Australia Innovation and Excellence Awards – Woods Bagot Award for the Best Public Building
. 2016 Australian Institute of Architects National Awards – Sir Zelman Cowen Award for Public Architecture
. 2016 Australian Institute of Architects Victorian Awards – Victorian Architecture Medal
. 2016 Australian Institute of Architects Victorian Awards – William Wardell Award for Public Architecture
. 2016 Australian Institute of Architects Victorian Award – Marion Mahoney Award for Interior Architecture
. 2016 Australian Institute of Architects Victorian Award – Regional Prize
. 2016 Master Builders Australia National Commercial Master Builder of the Year
. 2016 Master Builders Australia National Commercial/Industrial Construction $20M-$50M
. 2016 Australian Institute of Building, National Building Professional of the Year – David Purcell
. 2016 Australian Institute of Building, National Professional Excellence Commercial Construction $10M-$50M
. 2016 Master Builders Association of Victoria Young Builder of the Year – David Purcell
. 2016 Master Builders Association of Victoria Excellence in Construction of Commercial Buildings $30M-$80M
. 2016 Australian Institute of Building, Victorian Chapter Professional Excellence Commercial Construction $10M-$50M
. 2016 Public Library of the Year Award Finalist
. 2015 Concrete Institute of Australia State Award for Excellence