The Danish studio Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects has been commissioned to remodel the now iconic library of Curtin University in Perth, Australia. The objective of the team is to create a space in which there is a visual and physical connectivity throughout the site while it is endowed with natural light, guided by three principles: Openness, access and well-being.
With this project, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects aims to visually and physically connect the library with the heart of the campus and invite the landscape, using wood and other natural materials in the transformation of the library. It is also intended to carry out a remodeling of the outer space to better connect the entrances with the public sphere and the creation of elements that connect different levels, both of which reach out to the landscape.
 

Description of project by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

PERTH, AUSTRALIA—5 March 2019.- For the past 47 years, the TL Robertson Library at Curtin University in Perth, Aus-tralia has stood as an iconic brutalist structure that welcomes two million visits annually by students, faculty and the greater Perth community. Danish architectural firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, together with Australia-based Hames Sharley, is leading the redevelopment of the library that will modernise the building, making it more than just a storehouse of books.

The library, built in 1972, was originally designed with little natural daylight in order to protect the thousands of books and other physical materials in its collection. Schmidt Hammer Lassen aims to create a “living library” by opening up new path-ways for visual and physical connectivity throughout the building site, while bringing natural light into the space. The new open, light-filled scheme will support knowledge sharing and connection, and ensure the library meets the needs of future users.

“We were driven by three core principles when designing TL Robertson Library: openness, access and well-being,” said Morten Schmidt, Founding Partner of Schmidt Hammer Lassen. “The redevelopment complements the building’s original features with bold, contemporary architectural interventions that focus on warm, natural materiality, and contrast the cur-rent structure with open lightness.”

“This project will support the TL Robertson Library’s role as a key meeting place and activity centre on Curtin’s Perth Cam-pus and its transformation into a place for digital innovation and social collaboration for students, staff, and the wider com-munity,” said Professor Deborah Terry, Vice-Chancellor at Curtin University.

Connecting people and spaces organically

Parks, green spaces, and tree-lined walkways characterise the scenic Curtin University campus. The TL Robertson Li-brary is centrally located on the campus, making it a natural focal point and a historic landmark for students and faculty. The architectural design invites the landscape in, with the use of timber and other natural materials. Vertical lines and elongated windows provide views to the tall trees in the adjacent park. A clean palette of lightweight materials supporting a bold architectural expression will add a light, crisp contrast to the existing concrete and brick structure.

The redevelopment of exterior spaces will better connect the entrances to the public realm. Henderson Court, a green space on the south side of the building, will see physical barriers removed and a gradual grading of the landscape in order to create a more direct link to the south entrance. Inside the library, a new atrium will create a strong connection between the second and third levels, both of which reach out to the landscape. A makerspace, an event location, and new flexible teaching spaces will flank a grand staircase with built-in seating.

“The transformation will visually and physically connect the library to the heart of the campus and the new developments, further underlining the importance of libraries in higher education – not only as institutions for academic endeavor, but also as cultural meeting points for all,” said Schmidt.

The TL Robertson Library, Schmidt Hammer Lassen’s second library project in Australia, will celebrate its 50th anniver-sary in 2022, the year the project is scheduled to complete. The redevelopment of Australia’s oldest and largest library, State Library Victoria in Melbourne, will complete in 2020.

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Architects
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SHL Architects. Morten Schmidt, Bjarne Hammer, John F. Lassen
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Collaborators
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Architect of Record.- Hames Sharley
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Client
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Curtin University
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Area
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19,280 m²
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Dates
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Competition.- Open RFP process, 2018. Status.- Expected completion 2020
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Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects was founded in Aarhus, Denmark, in 1986 by architects Morten Schmidt, Bjarne Hammer and John F. Lassen. Today, the practice has grown substantially and employs 150 staff. The group of partners has also grown and now includes Senior Partners Kim Holst Jensen and Kristian Lars Ahlmark, Partners Chris Hardie and Rong Lu. In addition, there are six associate partners and seven associates. Day-to-day management of the practice is the responsibility of CEO Bente Damgaard.

The practice has extensive global experience in the design of libraries and other public and cultural landmark buildings including the Katuaq Cultural Centre of Greenland in Nuuk (1997), the extension to the Royal Library in Copenhagen (1999), ARoS Museum of Art in Aarhus (2004), Halifax Central Library in Canada (2015) and the largest public library in Scandinavia, Dokk1 in Aarhus (2015). Aside cultural buildings, our works have a democratic approach to architecture creating modern, open and multi-functional spaces such as The International Criminal Court in The Hague (2016) We pride ourselves on projects which interact with their urban context placing particular emphasis on the surroundings and social context like Malmö Live, a Concert/Congress/Hotel centre in Sweden (2015), Ningbo Home of Staff in China (under construction) and Christchurch Central Library in New Zealand (under construction).

Awards. WAF mixed Use Award 2016/ Governor General’s Medal in Architecture in Canada/ Public Library of the Year Award 2016/ A+Award 2016/ Årets Bygge 2016/ Architectural Review MIPIM Future Project Awards 2015/ World Green Design Product Award 2014/ RIBA National Award 2013/ RIAS Award 2013/ LEAF Award 2011 to name but a few.


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Published on: March 6, 2019
Cite: "Redevelopment of Curtin University Library by SHL Architects" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/redevelopment-curtin-university-library-shl-architects> ISSN 1139-6415
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