WESTERN SYDNEY UNIVERSITY - JOYCE WYLIE LIBRARY

1994 - 1996

The Joyce Wylie Library project, located on the Bankstown Campus, was the first major building to form part of the Tim Earnshaw and Partners campus masterplan. The project included conversion of the existing library to academic offices and teaching spaces.

A detailed design brief had been provided by the State Library of New South Wales, and the design developed out of working as a team with the library user group and David Jones of the State Library, as library consultant.

It was rewarding to see the campus master plan taking a three dimensional form as the project developed, with the library and academic offices buildings located either side of the main pedestrian circulation spine between the car park and a large landscaped quadrangle, which gives access to all campus buildings.

The circulation spine is intersected by a concrete blade wall that links the converted library building to the entry point of the new library.  Here the pedestrian spine passes through an opening in the blade wall providing a framed view to the quadrangle beyond. 

In total the project involved a new 4,000 m2 library plus 800 m2 of new academic office space for the Faculty of Education and refurbishment and fit out of the existing 1,000 m2 library as office and teaching space.

The new library building floor plan is divided in two by a central, clerestory light, vertical circulation void. The collection and study carrels on the western side of the void face the lanscape quadrangle and library services and ancillary functions occupy the eastern side of the void.   

Services provided on the project were development of the State Library of NSW brief, design, tender documentation, and contract administration.

Photography: Patrick Bingham-Hall (Images 2, 3, 4, 5 & 8)