Plugging into the community's diverse needs
The vision for the new library can be described as a ‘plug into the pop up’ space, a catchphrase coined by HASSELL Associate Yan-Yan Ho at the beginning of the project. This refers to the library’s ambition to make digital technologies available to anyone who is interested in learning about them.
The phrase also relates to community – giving people who may otherwise not be engaged with the community a hub they can ‘plug’ into. Another aspect of the mission was to offer a high degree of flexibility and fluidity. Much of the space can be used for multiple purposes, including events, seminars and exhibitions.
Schiavello’s Centric, a versatile workstation system, was selected for a new internet access centre, a touch point for the library’s internet users. It accommodates IT security and functionality, and considers diverse users – people in wheelchairs, carrying shopping bags, sitting in seats, or preferring to stand.
Schiavello worked in close communication with HASSELL to custom engineer a product that would meet the project’s unique requirements, from the concealment of IT services to hooks for bag storage, a simplified aesthetic, and individualised colour choice. All details were workshopped and resolved in advance, ensuring the system would perform perfectly in the space upon initial installation.
