Sydney Your Say: Placemaking the Library
“Placemaking inspires people to collectively reimagine and reinvent public spaces as the heart of every community.”
The City of Sydney (Australia) embraces Placemaking. They have created a website, Sydney Your Say, devoted to community input, where Sydneysiders can speak up, sign up for a newsletter, see a calendar of events and follow city projects’ progress.
One project that is currently under construction is the Green Square Library and Plaza. The first Saturday of each month is Infohub – a dynamic space where residents can drop in, share and gather information with the decision makers and community leaders. This is an ongoing effort to keep the community involved in this urban revitalization project.
The $47 million project includes a civic plaza influenced by European piazzas, water play areas for children and an underground library with an open-air garden and amphitheater. A seven storey tower will house a multi-purpose community room, reading and music recital rooms and a technology center. The plaza will host community events including Chinese New Year.
The sustainable design was granted to Stewart Hollenstein in association with Colin Stewart Architects when he won a 2012 competition hosted by the city. More than 160 architects from around the world participated. The design competition was held in two stages and followed the Australian Institute of Architects Guidelines for Architectural Competitions. A panel of designers, architects and cultural experts made the first cut followed by a review from a cost planner. Stage two allowed entries to be placed on public display, with comments invited from the community and interest groups.
The jury said the project would shape Green Square’s character and instead of having a library used only as a quiet retreat for reading books, the modern library would appeal to all residents and become “a gateway to knowledge and a hub of community activity”.
More info about the winning library here.
Submitted by Jennifer Ferriss
