On the New South Wales Central Coast, Gosford's new regional library has opened to a design by Sydney-based practice Lahznimmo Architects, who were first awarded the project in 2020.
Reflecting on the commission, director of Lahznimmo Andrew Nimmo commented, "We knew that the community had been waiting for this library for a very long time so felt certain that the project would proceed posthaste." However, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic led to various stumbling blocks, delaying the project's completion by two years.
"The fact that the library has been built; true to the original vision, without major compromises, and for the funds available is testament to the determination of a lot of people within council to make it happen," Nimmo observed.
According to Nimmo, his practice was attracted to the project because of its "enlightened brief," which imagined the project beyond that of a traditional library. "More than just a place to store books … [the Gosford Regional Library] is more like a community centre, where all types of public and educational activities can occur within," he said.
Central Coast Council mayor Lawrie McKinna said the vision for the $33 million project - its final location and design - had been shaped by input from across the community.
"This iconic new library features dedicated spaces for children, areas for student study and focus, meeting rooms, function spaces and innovation areas for creative work," she noted. These comprise a large multi-use hall, wet and dry maker spaces, a sound recording studio, an innovation hub, storage space for items of local historical significance and spaces for exhibition.
Member for Robertson Gordon Reid added, "Libraries are so much more than books, they are places for the whole community to access, whether it be community organisations, high school students studying for HSC, university students, or older people learning new skills, the new Gosford Regional Library will be a place for everyone."
With community at its heart, Lahzimmo's design is based upon the idea of the library as a kind of "town hall" sited opposite Gosford's Kibble Park. Imbuing this notion of civic grandeur, the public entry is via a north-facing triple-height space, described by Nimmo as the "neighbourhood room", from which, he said, one "can see all parts of the building - and all parts of the building look into it."
According to Nimmo, the children's library has been located adjacent to the entry so that "the sound of children's laughter … greet[s] you on arrival," while on the top floor, a main reading room known as the "public living room" permits unobstructed northern views to nearby natural landmarks and light from a long clerestory window to the south. Covered outdoor spaces scattered throughout the library are designed to provide protected, naturally ventilated breakout zones for sitting, reading and study.
Designed with a strong commitment to environmental sustainability, the building includes a rooftop solar photovoltaic array, underground rainwater tanks and a high-performing envelope.
McKinna noted that the project "will contribute enormously to Gosford, and ultimately the Central Coast, becoming a first-class region for employment, education, health and tourism."
The building officially opened to the public on Saturday 6 September.
