Surry Hills Library and Community Centre

At a glance

Project by: FJMT - Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp
Location: Sydney, Australia

Preview image

Surry Hills Library and Community Centre (FJMT - Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp)

© John Gollings

Project images

	View from Crown Street of the front façade of the centre with its timber louvers. © John Gollings View project image
	The timber ‘U’ form embraces the prismatic environmental atrium and orient both towards the south and the new little park. The ‘solid’ sections of this timber form are made of automated louvre systems that filter and control sunlight and view. This warm timber form is lifted above the ground to create transparency and accessibility. © John Gollings View project image
	On the southern edge, the Collins Street road closure has been converted to a modest public park with a raised grass platform. The glass façade view of the Environmental Atrium. © John Gollings View project image
	The ceiling in the entry lobby feature an integrated public artwork by Robert Owen, with colour matched timberveneer transitioning seamlessly into the external natural timber soffit and cladding. © John Gollings View project image
	Looking up into the environmental atrium from the level below. © John Gollings View project image
	The library on the ground and lower-ground levels contains a diverse borrowing collection of approximately 30,000 items, local history collections, some reference material and public access computers. © John Gollings View project image
	The spiral staircase connecting the two levels of Library. © John Gollings View project image
	The spiral staircase from the lower ground level. © John Gollings View project image
	Foyer on first floor with the cloud-like roof that continues and extend out above the street to mark the entrance. © John Gollings View project image
	On level two, the childcare centre provides accommodation for 26 children in two groups (1–2 and 2–5 years) and includes an outdoor landscaped play space with automatic shade roof. © John Gollings View project image
	The community centre on level one comprises a function facility for 125 people and adjoining verandah. © FJMT/Andrew Chung View project image
	Diagram © FJMT - Francis-Jones Morehen Thorp View project image

Architect's statement

Community hybrid: equity, aspiration and sustainability.

This project is located in the heart of Sydney and includes a library over two levels, a community centre and a childcare centre on the top floor.

From early studies, four integrated formal elements emerged: a new simple open space and platform, a prismatic glass environmental atrium, a suspended ‘U’ shaped timber form and a new transitional laneway foyer space.

The timber ‘U’ form is elevated to create transparency and accessibility, and embraces the prismatic environmental atrium and orients both toward the new park to the south.

The laneway foyer space mediates the scale of the building against the adjacent retail stores with suspended cloud-like roof profiles filtering daylight into this space.

A key project objective was to establish a new Australian standard of excellence for environmentally sustainable. The building incorporates many sustainable design innovations and integrates them into the architecture and explores their expressive potential.