Nearly five years in the making, the renewal of Australia’s oldest and busiest public library responds to the changing needs of the Library’s growing community by providing new spaces, services and better access to knowledge.
The new spaces are:
- A revitalised Swanston Street entrance, featuring a new foyer and digital technology that keeps visitors up to date with what’s on where at the Library
- The Ian Potter Queen’s Hall, the Library’s original reading room and one of Melbourne’s most breathtaking heritage spaces, which will act as a reading room by day and an opulent event venue by night
- Hansen Hall, supported by the Hansen Little Foundation, a vibrant new collaborative space to meet, work and connect
- The Quad, the ground floor of the Library, connecting all four of its activity courtyards, with the information centre at its heart
- Conversation Quarter, endowed by the Hansen Little Foundation, a state-of-the-art public forum for lectures, conferences and workshops
- Ideas Quarter, home to StartSpace, a new, member service enabled by the Christine Christian Foundation and a dedicated co-working space for early stage start-ups and small businesses. Expressions of interest to tour the space and become a member open today
- Create Quarter, featuring spaces for group work and school programs, with pop-up talks and events
- Pauline Gandel Children’s Quarter, supported by Gandel Philanthropy, a purpose-built space for children and families to read, learn and play, with an associated program of activities
These new public spaces are in addition to the redeveloped Vision 2020 spaces that opened in September 2018 – including the Russell Street entrance, Newspapers and Family History Reading Room, Arts Reading Room and Victoria Gallery – and complement the Library’s other existing public spaces: the domed La Trobe Reading Room and Dome Galleries, Redmond Barry Reading Room, Heritage Collections Reading Room and Cowen Gallery.
The Vision 2020 redevelopment design was led by an international, award-winning team combining the talents of Australasian design firm Architectus with Scandinavia’s Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects. The construction work was carried out by Built, one of Australia’s largest private construction groups with extensive experience in complex heritage refurbishment.
Vision 2020 is an $88.1 million project funded by $60.4 million from the Victorian Government, with more than $27.7 million raised through philanthropic support.
The project has been delivered by Development Victoria and Creative Victoria.
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View allUpdated on 26 May 2023