Liverpool Central Library entrance, by Rept0n1x, licensed under Creative Commons (via Wikipedia.org)
Name of the Library: C, UK
Parent Organisation: Liverpool City Council, UK
Street Address: William Brown Street, Liverpool, L3 8EW
Postal Address: William Brown Street, Liverpool, L3 8EW
Telephone : +44 (0) 151 233 3000
Web Address: http://liverpool.gov.uk/libraries/find-a-library/central-library/Library Email: libraries.enquiries@liverpool.gov.uk
Type of Library : Central/ Main Library
Population served: About 500,000 people live in the city of Liverpool.
Project Type (mark applicable): New Building , Refurbishment
Size (square metres): 4,500
Date of Completion: 2013
Architect: Austin-Smith Lord
Interior of Liverpool Central Library, by John Bradley, licensed under Creative Commons (via Wikipedia.org)
Interior view of the Millennium Library. Photo Jan Richards
Name of the Library: Norfolk and Norwich Millennium Library, UK
Parent Organisation: Norfolk County Council, UK
Street Address: The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich NR2 1AW
Postal Address: The Forum, Millennium Plain, Norwich NR2 1AW
Telephone : +44 (0) 1603 774774
(incl Country code)
Web Address: http://www.theforumnorfolk.com/
Library Email: libraries@norfolk.gov.uk
Type of Library Central/ Main Library , Regional Library
Population served: About 130,000 people live in the city of Norwich, but the library also serves as a hub for the county of Norfolk (800,000 people).
Project Type: New Building
Size (square metres): 4,621
Date of Completion: 2001
Architect: Sir Michael Hopkins
The Forum, Norwich (from Wikipedia.org, licensed under Creative Commons)
Description
This is the busiest library in the UK and has held that title for the last 7 years running.
It is housed in a building called the Forum, which includes Tourist Information Centre, heritage attraction, cafe, training centre, etc. The Forum is conceived as a courtyard surrounded by a three storey, horseshoe-shaped enclosure of load-bearing brickwork, which accommodates the various activities on a series of balconies.
The courtyard roof is supported by bow-string steel trusses forming leaf shaped panels, infilled with acoustically absorbent material or glazing. Light enters into the heart of the building, creating a dynamic public Atrium.
The key sustainable strategy is the use of the building mass as a ‘passive’ environmental modifier and the introduction of ‘active’ building engineering systems, only to assist the fabric to recycle ambient energy.
Its spectacular glazed end wall frames the Gothic church tower of St Peter Mancroft, welcoming the city in, and forming a major public space in the forecourt.
Name of the Library: Canada Water Library, UK
Parent Organisation: London Borough of Southwark Council, UK
Street Address: 21 Surrey Quays Rd, London SE16 7AR UK
Postal Address: 21 Surrey Quays Rd, London SE16 7AR UK
Telephone : +44 (0) 20 7525 2000
Web Address: http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/437/libraries_and_locations/2421/canada_water_library
Library Email: southwark.libraries@southwark.gov.uk
Type of Library: Central/ Main
Population served: About 250,000 people live in Southwark.
Project Type: New Building
Size (square metres): 2,900
Date of Completion: 2011
Architect: CZWG (Piers Gough)
Name of the Library: Exeter Library, UK
Parent Organisation: Devon County Council, UK
Street Address: Castle Street, Exeter, Devon EX4 3PQ
Postal Address: Castle Street, Exeter, Devon EX4 3PQ
Telephone : +44 (0) 1392 384218
Web Address: http://www.devon.gov.uk/exeter_central_libraryLibrary
Email: exeter.library@devon.gov.uk
Type of Library : Central/ Main Library
Population served:
Project Type: New Building Refurbishment
Size (square metres): not known
Date of Completion: 2014
Architect: HMY Radford
1001 Libraries to see before you die 