We were required to decide on the type of private library we wanted to design by selecting a specific intention and objects for our library. I decided to keep with the theme of my Folie, which demonstrated the shock and severity of the Brisbane floods over the many years. The name of my private library will be:
Brisbane Library of Publicised Flood Disasters
This library will be home to thousands of newspaper articles from across the globe, primarily focusing on the Brisbane region and the flood disasters that have occurred here. An example of such an article is shown in the image below:
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| Brisbane Floods (2011) |
Before I can begin my design process, there are a few key questions that I need to answer in order to design this private library to the best of my ability. Currently I'm new to the idea of designing a newspaper library and I haven't previously paid much attention to the detail involved in a successful one. These questions include:
What is a newspaper library?
Most newspaper libraries today have the hardcopies of the prints digitised so that users can access them via a computer or online from home. Prior to this technological development, newspaper prints were stored (and in most cases sill are) on bookshelves much like the library systems we see today. Below is an image of archives of newspapers in the British Library:
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| Newspaper digitisation (2011) |
Are there other examples of libraries containing tragic events?
After searching the internet for awhile, there appears to only be solid examples of museums around the world that contain information on tragic events. However this isn't all bad, the example of the Jewish Holocaust Museum in Germany, provides an interesting example of creating interior spaces to create a particular emotion (see image below).
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| Jewish Holocaust Museum (2011) |
What examples of libraries are available?
Now to look at libraries in general, particular the designs that contain spaces for printed works such as the original newspapers. I believe this would be the most suitable option for my private library, as I want the people to be able to see and touch the old newspapers rather them have digitised copies. There is something about smell and decay of old newspapers that will also add to the emotion my spaces will require. Below is a floor plan of the library at the University of Western Australia.
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| University of Western Australia (2009) |
Design Process
The initial sketching process has been based solely upon my previous work with the Folie exercise and the location of the private library on the cliff face of Howard Smith Wharves.
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| Howard Smith Wharves library location |
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| Potential cliff face location |
My idea is to make use of the cliff face location which is currently unusable on the site due to corrosion and debris. This location will also provide a prominent position and the ideal view across the river without interfering with the heritage listed properties located on the site. Below are some of the first process sketches and diagrams of the libraries structure, I'm aiming for the look of debris washed against the cliff face much like in my Folie design.
