“Carbuncle”, “battleship” and “something from outer space” were the scathing descriptions local critics applied to early designs for a library in Dursley, Gloucestershire.

The first challenge for the scheme’s project manger and architect, Ridge, was to work with Gloucester County Council to convince certain residents to accept the bold design in the heart of their traditional Cotswolds village.

Rob Sturla, senior QS at Ridge, says initially “strong views” on the project to replace an existing library were expressed in the Dursley Gazette. But Ridge, which was first to be appointed to the scheme on a Design and Build contract, and the council met local residents and won them over. Ridge and Gloucestershire also had to convince the Stroud district planning authorities.

Ridge argued that the building’s striking look was designed to encourage children to use it. It has a curious shape and a transparent entrance, and images are projected onto the front of the building from glass artist Colin Reid. The same reasoning informs the library’s inside, which is akin to a Blockbuster Video store, according to Sturla, with books and DVDs set out in the style of a retail environment.

But the challenges for Ridge continued after it had got the scheme off the ground. The existing library had electrical cable overhead, but the new design meant the cables would have to be moved. This meant working around the utilities company while it removed them. It delayed the project, according to Sturla. However, he says that the contractor, local firm E G Carter, “did a great job” minimising delays and the library opened on time in early 2006. The project started onsite in October 2004 with the demolition of the existing library and the setting up of Portokabins to house the books temporarily nearby.

The theory that the design would attract new users appears to have been proved, as the number passing through the library has increased 150%. And the locals even seem to like the design: “Once it was built, people were fairly overwhelmed by it,” says Sturla.

For Ridge, the project has resulted in more work. Sturla said it has helped the firm win a commission from Cirencester to refurbish its library, a £650,000-100,000 job.

Source

QS News