The City of Greater Geelong has released its concept design for a new $18.5 million library and community centre in the fast-growing Armstrong Creek area.
The city last week released the concept deigns for the Armstrong Creek Town Centre Library and Community Hub, created by architecture firm Buchan.
The triple-storey, ultra-modern library will be located at the Armstrong Creek Town Centre and will be the first civic and social infrastructure project for the area, which is expected to cater to a community of up to 65,000 people.
“The Armstrong Creek Library and Community Hub concept design reflects the community’s vision of a state-of-the-art, environmentally sensitive, technologically enabled, library and community space, that caters to the diverse needs of the growing local community while celebrating Wadawurrung culture,” greater Geelong mayor Stephanie Asher said.
“As the first social civic infrastructure in the suburb, the library and community hub will be incredibly important for Armstrong Creek residents as a place for lifelong learning, social connection and building a sense of community.”
The 2500 square-metre library will feature a collection of 40,000 books and resources, flexible spaces for children’s learning, youth programs and dedicated multi-purpose meeting spaces on level one, with creative spaces and bookable co-working amenities on level two.
The ground floor will serve as the civic interface with direct access to the external terraces and the town centre.
Buchan worked with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and the city to deliver a design that embraced the area’s Wadawurrung living cultural heritage by developing a ‘Living Water’ narrative.
The Wadawurrung narrative highlights the site’s location with views Wurdi Youang (the You Yangs) and Mount Duneed, and near to Lake Connewarre, all of which are significant places for Wadawurrung people.
“The involvement in co-designing this space brings to life Wadawurrung spirit and the cultural values of Djilang and its surrounds,” Wadawurrung traditional owner Stephanie Skinner said.
“Living Water symbolises the rich values and spirit that weaves through and surrounds Armstrong Creek and which celebrates its fluidity of inspiration and sustenance to our communities.”
