New internal images of the proposed new Central Library, including the best children’s library in the country, have been revealed by Nottingham City Council, with the public being offered the chance to offer their views on the plans.
The plans and video flythrough for the library reveal the layout and design of the new library, designed by award winning architects FaulknerBrowns. The designs show a brighter and more welcoming space with new areas to network and relax, along with fun spaces for children.
The Library will be a network of connected spaces for meetings, collaboration and concentration, supported by multi-media resources, including books, journals and IT. Split into zones to easily navigate the library, a spacious entrance area including a café leads to an extensive children’s section providing a wide array of books and spaces for story time, a play cave area for children to explore, a creative wall and a science and creativity zone.
Locating the children’s section on the ground floor will mean it is easy to access and feature a continuous book wall for children and their parents to browse, and creative booths and study areas will allow young adults the space to enjoy the library in their own distinctive space without children.
Mindful of creating a peaceful environment for library users that desire one, upstairs areas will provide quiet spaces for reading, study and relaxation. The second floor will contain adult non-fiction and the Careers and Business Development Zone, with the spaces separated to achieve a higher level of focus for users.
The new library will fuse the latest technology, such as virtual immersive headsets, sound tubes, story-telling studios, sensory rooms and touch screens. There will be new spaces specifically designed and developed to inspire creativity, such as digital labs, virtual studios and a tailored children and youth creative zone. The library will provide opportunities for people to enrich their minds, developing the knowledge, creativity and confidence needed to change lives.
The new Central Library will be a welcome addition to the Broadmarsh area, facing on to a new public realm, the new retail and leisure venue at intu Broadmarsh and just a short walk from both Nottingham College’s new City Hub and the redeveloped Nottingham Castle.
Councillor Dave Trimble, Portfolio Holder for Leisure and Culture, said: “These designs show our dedication to our Local Plan pledge of creating a new Central Library and the best children’s library in the country. With the opportunity to work within a new space and reimagined Broadmarsh area, we could start from scratch with what our library users want and build up from there.
“As a result, we’ve got some fantastic designs that use the space very well and will suit the modern library visitor. The Library will be at the heart of the new Broadmarsh area as our residents’ feedback on what they wanted from a library have been at the heart of our design process – we think we have something that will be a brilliant addition to the city and a fantastic space for children to learn.
“As a council, we are committed to investing in all of our libraries across the city where others have closed theirs as we understand their vital role in helping children learn, as community spaces and hubs of activity. We know how much people value their libraries and are pleased to be able to bring these designs to the public.”
Posted on 20 January 2020
