The Project is a design competition winning entry for a new working library with a collection of over 85,000 books plus built room for expansion, an archive housing the College's unique collection which includes medieval manuscripts, papers from the Bloomsbury Group and the 4,500 volume Skilliter Centre for Ottoman Studies. Ancillary accommodation includes display spaces, an IT room, a group study centre, staff space and a reserve collection stored in a closed stack system.

The new library is sited within the heart of the College originally designed by Basil Champneys. The collection of buildings, which date from the 1870s to 1910, are informally arranged around Newnham's extensive gardens. The new architecture reflects existing College character in its' scale and materials. Connections are made to both the Katherine Stephen Rare Books Room and to the Grade II* Listed Champneys Yates Thompson library, which is refurbished and provided with improved environmental controls, ventilation and lighting. The new library building also links to the College corridor circulation and opens into the remodelled Herb Garden. As with the Champneys Library, the new building makes extensive use of natural light.

The library is designed to perform to low energy criteria with a super-insulated building envelope of airtight construction and low pressure mechanical ventilation (including night ventilation and heat recovery as necessary).

Computer facilities are provided throughout the library. All fixtures and fitting are purpose designed in white oak and stainless steel including bookcases, readers' tables and fixed seating.

Construction cost £5.4million

Awards and Exhibitions

• Royal Academy Summer Exhibition 2001
• David Urwin Design Award 2004

FURTHER PICTURES