For the past 47 years, the TL Robertson Library at Curtin University in Perth, Australia has stood as an iconic brutalist structure that welcomes two million visits annually by students, faculty, and the greater Perth community. Built in 1972, the library was originally designed with little natural daylight in order to protect the thousands of books and other physical materials in its collection.
In a joint effort with Australian-based architect, Hames Sharley, the reimagined library of today aims to respond to the contemporary needs of the wider Curtin community by transforming the building into a place for digital innovation and social collaboration. No longer a storehouse of books, the redevelopment of the library provides opportunities to build on the past by creating adaptable places for emerging young talent.
Visions for the design were anchored in the larger and continuous story of the historic landmark. In this, we aim to create a “living library” by opening up new pathways for visual and physical connectivity throughout the building site while instilling new ways of bringing natural light into the space. The architectural design invites the landscape in, with the use of timber and other natural materials.
Inside the library, a new atrium creates 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 flank a grand staircase with built-in seating for dynamic learning environments. The outdoor terraces open up to magnificent views of the surrounding nature inviting the landscape in.
Through a light-filled scheme, a boost in productivity and well-being sparks knowledge-sharing and connection. Elements of openness, easy access, and wayfinding weave a healthy social-spatial fabric for academic development that seeks to inspire a vibration of learning and vitality as future change-makers.
For the past 47 years, the TL Robertson Library at Curtin University in Perth, Australia has stood as an iconic brutalist structure that welcomes two million visits annually by students, faculty, and the greater Perth community. Built in 1972, the library was originally designed with little natural daylight in order to protect the thousands of books and other physical materials in its collection.
In a joint effort with Australian-based architect, Hames Sharley, the reimagined library of today aims to respond to the contemporary needs of the wider Curtin community by transforming the building into a place for digital innovation and social collaboration. No longer a storehouse of books, the redevelopment of the library provides opportunities to build on the past by creating adaptable places for emerging young talent.
