They say the best things in life are free, and after getting a tour of the new Piara Waters Library on Friday, ‘they’ might have a point.
“Libraries are some of the few remaining buildings you can enter without the expectation of spending money,” City of Armadale Manager of Libraries and Heritage Gareth Dixon said.
More than just a tokenistic book exchange, libraries are, at their essence, the last bastion for social equity; anyone can become a member, or just sit and while away an hour or two free from the demands of money.
While the user experience is gratis, building and resourcing libraries is anything but.
So, it is testament to the value the City of Armadale places on these unique public spaces, that it saw fit to outlay $8.3 million of the $9.3 million final cost of its fourth public library. After all, actions speak louder than words, but libraries speak volumes.
At the official opening on Friday, everyone was on the same page – the new Piara Waters Library is a work of architectural genius. Just ask the team from the State Library who were ‘oohing’ and ‘aahing’ ad nauseum during their tour.
According to its designers, the library uses contemporary biophilic design principles to increase connectivity with the natural environment.
Curves undulate around the main room, and massive operator-controlled window shutters open to drench the space in natural light.
In the opinion of the Aspiri Primary students who were the first to experience the children’s nook, the massive wooden ‘tree’ feature creates a tantalising and ‘peaceful’ space to relax with a book.
“This place is magical,” one student remarked. “They’ve thought of everything.”
“This was just a carpark before. How did they turn it into this incredible building? It’s huge!” said another.
“This is better than any other library I’ve been to before. I’m definitely bringing my family here,” a particularly enthusiastic student finished off.
The library boasts 1000-square-metres of floor space and can hold up to 25,000 items – more than enough to satisfy a fiction addiction. But then there’s non-fiction too, and impressive collections of manga, graphic novels, DVDs, games, puzzles, and audio books.
The library includes a computer and printing hub, areas for collaboration and quiet reflection, and community meeting rooms which will be available for hire round the clock.
After the state government committed $1 million at the eleventh hour, the architects were also able to incorporate a youth hub into the design, with a performance space complete with lighting rig and drop-down screen, a creative room equipped with industry standard equipment for sound and video recording, mixing and editing, multi-player game consoles and couches you never want to get up from. The youth space will also be available for hire after hours.
There will be a host of workshops, special events and ongoing sessions at the new library, including a regular children’s Rhyme Time on Mondays, Toddler Romp on Tuesdays and Story Time on Fridays.
The Piara Waters library officially opened its doors to the public on Monday, and will be open seven days a week, no doubt bringing many happy returns.
Photographs – Richard Polden
