Reid Library refurbishment
Situated at the heart of UWA's Crawley campus, the Reid Library is an iconic building with a rich heritage. As one of the busiest buildings on campus, it has long been a bustling hub for students, offering various informal learning spaces.
Built in the 1960s, and with the exception of a significant refurbishment of the ground floor in 2016, the library had undergone minimal upgrades until the recent refurbishment. The Reid Library refurbishment project transformed level one of the Library into a contemporary and technologically advanced space, benefiting all staff, students, researchers and visitors.
Project outcomes
The refurbishment:
- Upgraded facilities and created innovative, contemporary spaces that support student success.
- Increased the availability of library spaces for student-centred activities that foster collaboration and support.
- Created a welcoming and inclusive space. The refurbishment will celebrate UWA's heritage and recognise the traditional landowners, the Whadjuk Noongar people, to ensure that everyone feels comfortable and respected.
- Improved building services infrastructure and sustainability by upgrading infrastructure to meet current standards and support a more environmentally friendly future.
- Provided a contemporary, student-centred, inclusive, and sustainable environment that supports learning, research, and collaboration.
Project overview
The level one refurbishment introduced a mixture of spaces and facilities, catering to different study preferences and requirements, including:
- 450 dedicated spaces for small group (collaborative study) and individual quiet study.
- Dedicated and bookable study rooms for 4-6 students.
- A student wellbeing lounge, with a dedicated space for The Living Room.
- A dedicated, highly visible and combined Academic Skills and Library student support service including consultation rooms for dedicated student help.
- Two sensory rooms to support neurodiversity and a parents' room for students and staff with children.
- A flexible and bookable meeting space that can accommodate 50 people, with capabilities for hybrid teaching and learning.
- Both dedicated virtual desktop facilities and computer workstations.
- A reading wall and adjacent reading lounge featuring important UWA collections.
- A dedicated Viva Voce space for oral PhD examinations.
In partnership with the project team, Campus Management undertook extensive planning and engagement with University stakeholders, including the University Library and student representatives, to ensure the refurbishment delivered an innovative campus space with purpose-built facilities.
Timeline
- Project completed: last-quarter 2024
Key considerations guiding the design
The theme 'connection beyond boundaries' has shaped the vision for the Reid Library refurbishment project on level one.
The University worked with Hassell, a leading design firm, and respected Noongar elder, Dr Richard Walley whose guidance and insights have been invaluable. The themes of pathways and connections that emerged from the discussions have informed our design approach.
Design highlights
Level one features various key 'moments' designed to resonate differently with people, echoing the campus's diverse spaces and experiences.
- Wayfinding and orientation: The design incorporates clear views and natural light to aid intuitive wayfinding, enabling library users to discover diverse spaces for collaborative or individual study.
- Cultural heritage emphasis: Connection to Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River) and Aboriginal heritage underpins the design, with water droplets symbolising collaboration and knowledge exchange.
- Reed laneway: This primary circulation path acts as a wayfinding and orientation point, connecting different areas and maintaining clear views.
- Reading wall: The Bilya Biddi quiet study area features a mirrored ceiling element, creating an illusion of a two-storey wall of books, providing a quiet space for individual study.
- Academic connection: The reading wall signifies an academic connection to past generations and displays parts of the Reid Library's historical collection.
