Bournemouth University Library

Saunders has an unparalleled record of successfully completed projects for Bournemouth University which goes back many years. This includes the award-winning extension and renovation of the Library and Multi-media Learning Resource Centre.

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There was on-going liaison with stakeholders throughout, and the phasing of the library project was complex and challenging as the University required the library to be kept open at all times during construction.

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Floodlit at night, with a fibre-optic sculpture at the pinnacle of the building, the new 5-storey library tower is a striking addition to the University’s Talbot Campus. The tower  is designed around a central service core, with no internal columns on upper floors. This allows the most efficient use of the floor area, originally accommodating 4.5 linear km of shelving and 440 study spaces. The natural ventilation system, which is based on the principle of an Arab wind tower, and clean lines of the interior all make for a calm and pleasant environment for study while also maximizing energy efficiency.

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The excellence of its design was recognised by the Society of College, National and University Libraries (SCONUL) when it was awarded their prestigious Library Design Award.  The judging panel were particularly impressed with how the building had responded to the University’s brief, how it had successfully integrated with the existing library buildings and how the space has already proven to be readily adaptable to changing needs.