Challenge

Junee Shire Council purchased the old co-operative grocery building with the idea to move their library into the main street. Like so many local councils they had limited funds for the build and for the ongoing operation.  They also had a main street that was slowly dying as the new co-op now drew everyone to the other side of town.

Response

We looked at the design of this project from multiple points of view. How could we staff the library efficiently? How could we create uses for the building that made use of the facility for as many hours of the week as possible?  How could we minimize energy use and maintenance costs?

We proposed a building that adopted significant and innovative sustainable systems, such as night-sky cooling, plenum air handling, hydronic slabs and automated heat dispersal.  Spaces were organised to allow use after hours and reading couches were placed in the shopfront window to bring life to the street.

It was the recipient of the NSW Premiers Prize in 2010, an award given to the best architectural project for that year that provides benefit to the people of NSW.