A strategic initiative by the Port Adelaide Enfield Council, the design of Parks Library is driven by Council’s vision to create a unique point of difference and a sense of ownership for their local community; a welcoming space for people to relax, read and learn. With an emphasis on blurred indoor-outdoor spaces and a natural flow of movement that caters for everyone, Parks Library is conceived as a garden that defines the role of a modern library.

The key design drivers for the project was to achieve accessibility to all, to connect with nature and the surrounding pubic precinct and to conceive the interior as an extension of the central garden. This project facilitates library collections, arrival and customer service space, administration, community function centre, associated kitchen, meeting rooms, a toy library and a makerspace. As the heart of the facility, the central garden functions as a foyer, play space, reading garden, event and exhibition space, and most of all a welcoming space that is ever present.

Wrapped in a responsive façade, the building opens up between the pavilions to invite people in from the surrounding streets. It was important that we created a new arrival experience, porous with future flexibility to engage residents that may not usually visit a conventional library. The tactile, staggered building edges provide shelter, shade and public seating both inside and out to further promote the building as an accessible part of the public realm and the community.

With a focus on interactive and smart technology, community spaces interconnect and hold various curated programs throughout the day, all surrounding the natural garden which promotes a sense of safety and relaxation. A café style kitchen offers a self-service meeting point, connected to the community rooms, both areas with opportunity to open up to the precinct to inspire community events. The community rooms are integrated with storage and functionality and are used much like a traditional town hall.

The interconnected nature of the spaces is intended to unify the community use, opening up the sense of space to maximize the volume and the access to natural daylight. The design of the service model informs a retail inspired open plan of self-service pods, smart shelving and personalised service. Openable façades and a central courtyard help maintain fresh air and natural light throughout the building. The faceted façade has been carefully considered with shade fins and angled windows that reduce glare and heat.

Parks Library offers a fresh perception of the role a library has within our social fabric today. Strong stakeholder engagement and a collaborative project team has resulted in a socially and environmentally sustainable place that is future focused, innovative, adaptable and reflects the needs and desires of the local community.