Space.d.out: The Future of Library Interiors

1. S p a c e d o u t in the Digital Age Cecilia Kugler CK Design International (CKDI) The future of Library Interiors

2. Overview • Opportunities, Importance of Good Interior Design & some measures of efficiency • Present Influences and directions • Lessons from the Past • Design Qualities • Libraries of the future • Lasting Principles • A Dream of the future CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

3. Opportunities • Restructuring / Process re-engineering • Changes in technology • Building maintenance • Minor Works (new carpet, furniture upgrade, etc) • Major Works (relocation, new building or Extensions) CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

4. To review • Functional requirements • Space – quantity, quality, distribution • Operation - services, workflow • Collection - flow, growth, storage • and Introduce • New services and/ or processes • New technologies • New public image / profile • Modify client usage CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

5. Importance of Good Interior Design • Success or failure still cost money • Good for Business / Raises Profile, aids Marketing • Space is the Machine – So get a space mechanic • Meets aesthetic, efficiency, comfort and safety • Creative solutions, new products /material • Enhances way finding and self sufficiency • Helps rationalizes visual information and variety of services / spaces • Maximise resources, money, staff, materials, time, etc CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

6. More IT = lessSpaceSpaced Out • Cyber Space – Byte size • Digital information takes less room initially • New services and jobs associated with IT • More space for infrastructure ( access points, staff areas, network & digitizing rooms) • Shelf Space – Book size • More publishing • At reduced rates Collections continue to grow • People Space – Largest Size – Needs the Void • Multidimensional – Variety of services and activities • Personal Group & Community Space • Life long learning - increase demand for learning spaces CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

7. Current situation - General • Parallels and Differences • Both Public & Academic Libraries although at reduced rates, still juggling increases in hard copy and growth in IT • Academic - responding to new services and new methods of teaching an learning • Public – increase in IT to provide a wider client group • Areas combined with mixed business/ services CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

8. Current Influences “entertainment to spiritual” • Changes in Technology • Changing Business Models and Marketing • Raised consumer expectations • Quality retail and hospitality interiors • Need for social interaction & re-awakening of community spirit CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

9. Bar at Tullamarine Airport -VIC Commercial influences Ciccone’s Piazza Combined Convenience store and Coffee Shop CK Design Int’. (CKDI) CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au Waiting Area at Tullamarine Airport -VIC

10. Lessons from the past • Previous Practice • Reactive, segmented , exclusive of staff & user participation • Too much emphasis on Quantity rather than Quality • New Process • Holistic – Visionary and strategic view to staged implementation • Inclusive & communicative (staff and users) • Qualify and quantify need CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

11. Baillieu Library University of Melbourne Melbourne, Victoria Front Entrance

12. Baillieu Library – Master Plan ‘94 • Developed in ’94 - fully documented and costed • Minimum upgrade $9 million to be implemented over 7 Stages • Emphasis - Maximum Capacity • Proposed Layout – 6 levels • 20 yr expansion for all collection & better flow • Increased Student study areas • Layout Easy to navigate, large, open & light • Very efficient & user friendly CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

13. Functional Cross section Level 2 – furniture layout (CKDI) CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

14. Baillieu LibraryPositive Outcomes • Good strategy • Extensive consultation in developing brief and encouraging ownership • Master-plan documented, staged & costed to facilitate funding • Stages 1 to 5 completed – same changes to implementation plan • Still to be implemented – Stages 6 & 7 • Re-used all exiting furniture – No budget for new • Efficiency & Flexibility • Efficient & flexible Layout – Maximum capacity • Original building very flexible although not on wired grid CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

15. Baillieu Library Lessons • Underestimated impact of IT and new services • Requiring modifications to Master plan • Overlooked need for variety & identity • Sense of Personal & Group spaces • Seating for various study behaviors • Loss of domestic scale - Too repetitious CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

16. Aerial view over South Bank from CBD – Courtesy State Library of Queensland State Library of Queensland Reference Library - Levels 2 & 3 South Bank, Brisbane

17. SLQ exterior Corner Stanley and Peel Streets - Main public Approach- Car park entrance to the right CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

18. Existing L2 State Library of Queensland View of Reading room – Dec 1999 L2- Main entry level – view of Lift Lobby CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

19. State Library of Queensland‘anti-institution’ strategy • Aim to create • easy navigation, welcoming, comfortable and warm environments • Sympathetic design to existing architecture • defined family of spaces within the whole • Improve operations and service delivery CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

20. Existing foyer L2 – Main entry Foyer from Atrium- Dec 1999 Proposed Foyer CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au CKDI

21. Proposed-L2 CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

22. State Library of Queensland Outcomes • Layout • Maximised views to river • Sympathetic to building design style, just warmer • Improved traffic and collection flow • Area & function definition – Sense of place • Greater Variety of area types, seating and colours CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

23. State Library of Queensland - Lessons • Poor allocation of funds - on hold for 1 yr awaiting approval • No master-plan for the whole building (Awaiting redevelopment project) • Unknown impact of new development CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

24. Matheson Annexe Sir Louis Matheson Library Monash University, Victoria

25. Matheson Annexe Brief • Aim to provide Extended opening hours offering: • Secure Library Study Facilities • Group discussion facilities • Access to computers & networked databases • Photocopy services & access to open reserve collection • New Break-out areas • New disable-toilet CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

26. Matheson Annexe Concept • Open, welcoming & lively (blending with existing Interior ) • Form & Colour • aid navigation and punctuate spaces • Liven up spaces with almost no natural light. • Maximimum use of resources – • capacity, staff, traffic areas, existing building features • Improve workflows • Flexible environment – minimum use of fixtures, Use modular furniture CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

27. Matheson Annexe CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

28. Matheson Annexe CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

29. Combined IT and Study area CKDI CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

30. New Reserve Desk Old Reserve Desk CKDI CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

31. Old Copier Area Matheson Annexe New Copier Area & Break-out space to the left CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au CKDI

32. Break Out Area CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au Combined Copier & Study area CKDI

33. Lower Ground Lower Ground - After CKDI Lower Ground - Before CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

34. MathesonAnnexeOutcomes • Positive • Well defined functions & flowing layout • Softness – Layout / shapes / tactile • Variety of spaces and resources • Very popular with students • Negative • Problem with food carried to other areas CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

35. Characteristics of Traditional libraries • Rigid – Interaction minimized • Inflexible infrastructure • Crowded, maze like, intimidatingIntellectual, quiet • Browse, study, research, quietUpgrade every 20 to 3 years • N0otes from Aaron Cohen Associates workshop brochures  CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

36. Characteristics of Future –Innovative libraries • A place of change – Interactive and dynamic • Excitable and adaptive • Light, spacious – easy patron flow • Educational, entertaining, busy • Multi-sensory – Look, touch, listen, read, talkUpgrade often • Notes from Aaron Cohen Associates workshop brochures  CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

37. Essential Design Qualities • Simplicity, clarity & definition • Variety & Comfort with Flexibility & Identity • Hierarchy & Domestic scale • Most Complex Design Issues to resolve • Flexibility vs. Space definition / Identity • Sense of personal vs. group space • Character vs. Dating Styles • Competing resources & needs – user/collections, staff, $$$ CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

38. Identity & Sense of place Shanghai Library – Rare Books Reading Room (China) CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au Maleny Library – (QLD, Australia) Boston Public Library – Bates Hall - USA

39. Integrated approach – eg. Signage Library@orchard - Singapore L2-Children’s Area - MarineParade Library -Singapore CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

40. Flexibility vs. Space definition CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au Children’s Area –Toa Payoh Community Library – Singapore (‘99) Baillieu Library – layout ’94 (VIC)

41. Variety & Flexibility Massachusetts Institute of Technology (USA) – Group learning space CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

42. Variety & Comfort CKDI The Tisch Library – Tufts University (USA) Kingscliff Library – NSW CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au Matheson Annexe (Library) - Monash University (VIC) CKDI Break Out Area

43. Variety & Food Library@orchard-Singapore MarineParade Community Library - Singapore CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

44. Bukit Panjang Community Library-Singapore Sense of personal vs. group space The Tisch Library – Tufts University (USA) CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au Teen Central – Courtesy of Phoenix Public Library, William P. Bruder and Bill Timmerman

45. `Monash University – Caulfield Campus (VIC) Maleny Library – (QLD, Australia) Character vs. Dating Styles( Fairfield Library– Darebin City Council (VIC) CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

46. Lasting Principles • Process • Holistic, Inclusive & Communicative • Design • FLEXIBLE - Simple / Clear definition • Innovative and changing, with character • Human scale and territory definition paramount • Technology – Integrated sympathetically • in a way that will not destroy the core concept of a human centered environment. CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

47. A dream of the Future • Imagine a future Library………Think Startrek • Plasma walls and Virtual Browsing find it • Voice / touch activated retrieval and delivery Get it • Your choice of medium and place – Hard Copy or digital Use It • Wireless equipment … where you like • Moving walls, Instant rooms, • Cone of silence if needed….. • 3D Holograms at your table to use with Study group with whom you like • Eat where you like… (robots clean up) CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

48. A dream of the Future • Technological possibilities are Endless • Technology is only a part of the experience • The human and social dimensions of libraries will always remain paramount in importance. CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

49. “The future Library does not have a specific style, but it has a quality, Richness” CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au

50. CK Design International www.ckdesign.com.au Teen Central – Courtesy of Phoenix Public Library, William P. Bruder and Bill Timmerman