State Library Victoria redevelopment

Major heritage conservation and restoration work for the State Library Victoria, has ensured that the iconic building remain true to its rich history and character, while adding forty per cent more public space and seventy per cent more seating alongside a range of new services.

Location

Victoria, Australia

Client

Development Victoria

Architect

Architectus and Schmidt Hammer Lassen

Australia’s oldest and most popular public library and the third most popular public library in the world, State Library Victoria has undergone a major transformation through its $88.1 million Vision 2020 redevelopment project.

Incorporating the Ian Potter Queen’s Hall and a new world-class exhibition space in The Victoria Gallery, the design has reconfigured and better aligned library spaces and their functions, to enhance its ability to cater for the needs of communities, and the people that it serves now and into the future.

While the entire library underwent major works, it required sensitivity and understanding of the original form to work within the existing heritage building. Works included major service upgrades, improvements to universal access points and space connectivity with refurbishment of the significant Ian Potter Queen’s Hall, and major part of the redevelopment.

The design of a new Mechanical Bauer System allowed the number of HVAC grilles on display to be significantly reduced, while new glass and metal balustrades were engineered by our structural and facades teams, in both the Ian Potter Queen’s Hall and West link stair spaces, to ensure access to and within Ian Potter Queen’s Hall met current safety requirements and standards.

The redevelopment has not only modernised the space but ensured respect of the original 1800’s design.