NML - North Melbourne Library

[domc]

Brief:

A library in North Melbourne of approximately 500sqm. The project challanges its user needs, social, cultural and physical contexts, environmental and civic responsibilties, formal and spatial compositions, material realisation and contruction techniques.

Here are a few photos from the site. The memorial is an exsisting sculpture that must be incorporated in the design.

[digdoi]

Welcome to the forum domc. :cheers:
I fixed your first image. Please continue to post when you have time.

[domc]

Aim:

A small scale boutique library that respones to the smaller, more intimate community of North Melbourne. To celebrate the uraban spaces of the space rather than build over it.

[domc]

Library Entrance with the crescendo in scale of the steel portals to attract people into the site.

[domc]

My Response consisted of an underground structural that is divided by an emerging structual portal frame skylight that has been twisted and bent to emphaise a sense of movement. A similiar movement seen in the progression of ‘the library’ over the years; from a the more static tradional library with books to the more recent multimedia and information center in you respective communities and cities.

[domc]

This skylight divides the principle space yet still boasting an open plan as well providing the inhabitants with a connection to the environment as well as the outdoor courtyard to the south of the site - furthering this connection. The tilt up roof south of the site is to create a barrier from the busy intersection.

[domc]

With Erol St. being quite busy, the response offers an urban retreat for the people of North Melbourne as the grass roof is accessible.

[domc]

The interior boasts exposed concrete and steel finishes to make a connection with North Melbourne's industrial context.

[domc]

Cafe from the west of the site and another interior perspective

[domc]

The transition between the standard old library to the new multimedia libraries that are now becoming the way for the future in library design. Its this movement between stages in design that i was trying to evoke in the creation of the twisting portals.

[SWANK-E]

here is the kmz file of the site

[digdoi]

This is a very good project.
I think it respond very well to the issues of the site and the program. Also the concept is very pertinent. And you sucessfully translated it in an architectural form. Congratulations!

The only thing that bothers me a little is your perspectives. The exterior ones are too blurry (except for the first - loved that) and the internals are too dark. But the plans and sections are very clear.

Cheers :cheers:

[primocordara]

Very interesting approach to a complex site, liked it very much.

Same as Digidoi with the obscure perspectives.
Congrats!

[oenggun]

suggestions and opinions:

Agree with digdoi regarding the 2 last perspectives. I like the 1st one. You could have done more in photoshop. they're too dark, and probably grey/white people would work better?? Have u try to enrich the scene with reflections on the surfaces??

I don't like the cliche 'lens-flare' straight from photoshop. Blur the light sources on seperate layers...and try to experimenting while imposing it on the main scene.

Nice concept for the design!!

my 2 cents,

[ryo]

Welcome domc!
what a difficult site for a library!
I haven't totally understood why you decided to dig the library underground?!
If the library promises to keep attracting young generations in the future (as you're saying, with the evolution of static media towards a more versatile, mobile, multimedia form), why do you need to 'hide' it? The main problem with underground buildings is that it evokes the entrance of ... err... underground subway? :wondering
It reminds me a project by Bakbek who decided to 'cut' the project from urban activity and life... but that was a meditation centre: http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=82&highlight=bakbek
Here, with a library, I think you need more interaction with the city than just say 'hey if you are interested I'm hidden here', even if I like the green roof and integrated bench ideas... :D
By the way, the way you bent the floorslab at the corner amplifies traffic sound reverberation in the little patio (supposed to be quiet and peaceful?)...
But this is an urban library, isn't it? :D
When faced to underground buildings, the natural light becomes an important concern, and your perspectives doesn't serve you well, because they're too dark (you've been already told, but the black people and dark bookshelves and ceilings don't help avoiding a claustrophobic first impression), this is the danger of images (you show what you want, but people can misunderstand).
Why did you give the building an apparently symmetrical aspect? I first thought the library was thought like a gallery, a passage in the street, and it would have made sense that one can pass through the building, to convey a sense of movement in the scheme (and put the cafeteria above next to the green area)...

Anyway, this is just a first impression, and I'm surely wrong :D
Keep posting domc! :cheers:

[thinkbuild]

greetings domc

i like your project. i think it is very interesting to dig, always, to go down. but, i agree with ryo's comment that one of the biggest dangers in this case is the lack of connection with the "city" - i noticed as well that the first perpective (which i like the "look" of very much) shows really nothing of the context. the cars are so blurred out, they are going so quickly, that they dissapear at at 700 pixels one could imagine that your project is on the seashore or on some kind of cloud. in the same vein, your site plan does not really show how people "get" to the project, (ie., where are they coming from? do they have a place to park, what about public transport/bicycles, etc...?)

i think that if you find yourself putting arrows on the perspectives, big signs "library this way..." then you should take that as a kind of trigger alarm. for me, i think you have generated great sections (as previously commented) and interesting introspective-study-spaces, but you have not yet really linked the place to its context. i think the challenge is to force such a space to enter into a dialog with the city.

finally, i do like very much the "sunken" garden, it reminds me of the sunken sculpture garden here in berlin by mies, also on a site close (not quite so close...) to a big street. i'd say you might think more about the acoustics (too bad SU has no acoustic rendering features...!) and look for ways to make a "calm" "quiet" study space, perched between sky and the underground-book world, but which would really work. that might be a good direction to continue your explorations.

good luck!

jason*
thinkbuild

[domc]

thanks guys,

i definately agree on the darkness of the perspectives, i have to make them lighter and perhaps using white people rather than the black would have been very beneficial. im not too sure why they came out blurry, they are clear on my comp/, just my poor posting skills.

I hadnt even though about the tilt up roof amplifiing the sound in to the courtyard. OF COURSE!!! i shoud have thought of that, do you think maybe vegeation closer to the edge of the wall the came up and ut of the courtyard could potentially fix that issue?

in response to the issue of going underground. i guess its acts as a refuge in quite a rough suburbian area. A place to study and get away from the chaos above. Also by going underground, i was able to pay greater tribute to the memorial above which would be exposed to a wider audience given the grass roof. The skylight is meant to evoke this sense of movement, but once in the study and book areas, there is a peaceful feeling, this contrast further defining the spaces. Interms of the subway suggestions, i tried to make the entrance as large as possible, with alot of large in that area, to stay away from the subway connection.

anyways, Thankyou all for your comments, i hope to hear more in he future. :)

cheers dom

[digdoi]

I disagree with Ryo and Jason about going underground. When I said in my first comment that you responded well to the site I was referring specially to this point. But I have to agree with them in other points:

If the library promises to keep attracting young generations in the future (as you're saying, with the evolution of static media towards a more versatile, mobile, multimedia form), why do you need to 'hide' it?
I think many times attraction is less about showing and much more about hiding. It's the mistery that attracts in this case.

Here, with a library, I think you need more interaction with the city than just say 'hey if you are interested I'm hidden here', even if I like the green roof and integrated bench ideas... :D
There is a better way of interaction with the city than liberate the ground for public use?

By the way, the way you bent the floorslab at the corner amplifies traffic sound reverberation in the little patio (supposed to be quiet and peaceful?)...
But this is an urban library, isn't it? :D
Here I have to agree.

I first thought the library was thought like a gallery, a passage in the street, and it would have made sense that one can pass through the building, to convey a sense of movement in the scheme (and put the cafeteria above next to the green area)...
Agreed again. When I first looked to the plan, I thought the exact same thing.

[wegofaster]

solving a few problems mentioned...
Darkness, visibility and keeping it a refuge from the husssle of the city.

I like the underground for a multimedia library, this minimizes noise, and gives a feeling of comfort to the site. Also, it allows the multimedia to be viewed it its own light.

You could put in some skylight towers rising out of the ground so the public can look down into the structure... this would also bring attention to an oterwise unnoticed library. It would also add natural light into areas that needed it. Giving the overall feel inside of the building a lightlift, and overall happier place to be for long periods of time.

Hope this sparks some ideas. :o

Thanks again,

[wegofaster]

It reminds me of a post in PPB1.... street art center, does anyone remember that post. It was for a performing arts center, 3 floors of which were underground.
:wondering

[ryo]

It reminds me of a post in PPB1.... street art center, does anyone remember that post. It was for a performing arts center, 3 floors of which were underground.
:wondering
I remember well... "nice layout, cool project it was" (said Yoda)... :D

[Victório Rojas]

so good!! :not worth

[imasayer]

I agree fully with ryo’s comments. What if the library had gone only partially underground, if the roof plane had peeled up to allow natural light into the library. I personally would not enjoy a library with so little natural light.(maybe there is more than I am thinking, but I can’t make it out in any of the images) My other comment is that once you go underground your concept is lost, at least in plan. The floor plan does not reflect this idea of motion, and only somewhat in the sections. I only see the concept coming though in the entry pieces.

I did a project in my fourth year of school that reminds me of this one. I will post an image or two on this thread when I get a chance.

All and all a good project though, keep up the good work.

[msr]

I'm sorry but I am going to cast a negative vote on this design. I find the whole project to be dark & oppressive and I see no real need to bury the library underground.

Looking at all of the library designs submitted to PPB forum makes me realize that no one has come to terms with the most salient feature of the site - its triangularity!

Oh for some real crisp corners!

[Hotrats]

It reminds me of a post in PPB1.... street art center, does anyone remember that post. It was for a performing arts center, 3 floors of which were underground

What this one???


http://www.pushpullbar.com/forums/showthread.php?t=772

or was it a green one in Malaysia somewhere (can't remember who by)?? - It had wicked graphics

[Juan Gomez-Velez]

Yes

The one definitely that was, Shot of the Day it was too.( Yoda again )

I do agree with Ryo, and find his comments pertinent. I understand Hotrats position, the proposal is reasonable yet its true strength lies in it's kinesthetic quality, the notion of flowing through it. This is a mystery tour, more appropiate for an exhibition space, where it would be incredibly succesful, than a learning resource center ( what libraries usually call themselves).

It reminds me of Calatrava's and Foster's train stations. Compelling.

Saludos

Juan

[Sinz]

This project got into the Eyes 2006 (this is a yearly publication of the best architecture projects in the university of melbourne architecture faculty)!!!

CONGRATULATIONS!