Peckham Library
Project Description
Designed by prominent architect Will Alsop, Peckham Library was the product of a number of public design consultations, to create a true community building. The Library forms the focal point of Peckham Square, creating an unusual point of interest in the recently redeveloped public space. Peckham Library was built as a catalytic project in a wider regeneration scheme, in an attempt to counter the effects of economic and social decline experienced in Peckham in recent decades
Aims and Objectives
The aim was for the Library to form the focal point for the redeveloped Peckham Square, which also now includes Peckham Pulse sports centre, and to encourage reading, education and inspire creativity within the community. There was a need to replace the inadequate hut that was being used as a library, built after the original Victorian building was bombed in World War II.
The aim was to challenge the traditional view of libraries, and make it fun, interesting and attractive to the local community. It was to provide a communal meeting space and other facilities for the benefit of Peckham’s residents, changing the traditional role of the library in the community.
The brief specified that the building should be designed to be welcoming, safe, light, flexible, and energy efficient.
Project Start Date and End Date
Peckham Library took 5 years to develop, was completed late 1999, and opened March 2000. Construction of the building took 21 months.
Services Offered
Aside from the library facilities offering 60,000 books, available seven days a week, the Peckham Library building accommodates:
- a meeting room ‘pod’, hired to local organisations and businesses,
- a study area ‘pod’,
- a children’s play area ‘pod’,
- staff offices,
- the Southwark Local History Library, and
- the One Stop Shop for Council information and advice.
Additional services include ‘baby and toddler’ sessions, teenage and adult reading groups, a Homework Help club, and free internet and Wi-Fi access.
Externally, the building creates and accommodates an outdoor public space used for various activities such as festivals.
Success Factors
In accommodating a number of services, Peckham Library has become a well used facility, at the heart of the community. The creation of Peckham Library and regeneration of the area has demonstrated good practice in:
- committing to high quality design by renowned artists and architects
- improving cultural infrastructure to revitalise a town centre
- using festivals and creative activity to engage local residents and nurture local talent, and
- helping artists set up in redundant local industrial spaces.
The building brief has been met, with large glass panels on the north facing side of the building for natural light and double height ceilings. Additionally, the building is designed to be flexible, and is strong enough to accommodate a further two storeys should there be need to expand. The use of natural ventilation contributes to the building’s energy efficiency.
The striking design of copper cladding and glass panels, as well as the unusual ‘L’ shape, provides central Peckham with a distinctive landmark building. The Library won the 2000 Stirling Award for architectural innovation and a Civic Trust Award in 2001 for excellence in public architecture.
Currently, the Library receives over half a million visitors each year, and is the busiest of all the Southwark lending libraries.
Business/Operational Model
London Borough of Southwark Council owns this public library, but the project, as part of the wider regeneration scheme, was led by the Peckham Partnership, formed for this purpose and comprising members of the private, public and voluntary sectors.
Financing and Delivery/Procurement
The Library cost a total of £5million to design and build, £1.25million of which came from the Single Regeneration Budget (SRB). Further funding from the SRB provided the construction of new mixed-tenure, low-rise housing, Peckham Pulse healthy living centre, Peckham Square and Peckham Arch.
Measurement and Monitoring
In terms of success, there are records of numbers of visitors to the library each year (approximately 410,000), and the number of books loaned (approximately 297,000 each year), to give an idea of the library’s usage. Facility usage such as Wi-Fi and PCs is also measured.
Publications
Southwark @ The Centre: Strategy and Priorities for Arts, Culture and Heritage, Southwark Council, 2005.
