Armstrong Creek in Greater Geelong has a distinctive new landmark following the opening of the Biyal-a Armstrong Creek Library and community hub, marking a major civic milestone for the masterplanned community in one of Victoria’s fastest growing regions.

Designed by Buchan, the $21.8 million facility is positioned in the heart of the Armstrong Creek Town Centre precinct. It spans 2,500 square metres across three storeys and contains more than 30,000 new books and resources, along with a children’s story time area, outdoor terraces and multipurpose and creative spaces.

The new library’s expressive facade is punctuated by playful circular windows. Buchan architect Aleksander Borek says the windows represent many individuals coming together and are inspired by the ‘living water’ design narrative developed with the Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and the City of Greater Geelong.

“The waterways of the Wadawurrung people have been a natural meeting point for centuries and are rich in cultural and spiritual significance,” says Borek. “The new library is conceived as a nourishing place for the community to come together and create a shared future.”

Buchan’s architecture and interiors teams worked closely with the Indigenous and wider communities to embed living cultural heritage into the design and create a place where people feel connected to nature.

Externally, the building adopts a simple architectural form in raw concrete. Organic shapes and refined detailing reflect the ‘living water’ theme.

The circular windows are a unique and memorable feature carefully positioned to frame features on the landscape. When lit from the inside at night, they lend the building a lantern-like quality reflecting its role as a beacon of lifelong learning at the heart of the community.

Along Main Street, a waveform canopy with a rippling ceiling protects pedestrians and shades large windows that flood the ground floor with natural light. The main entry opens to the new Town Square, where a cantilevered roof shelters a landscaped forecourt that flows seamlessly into the library’s interior. An opening in the forecourt roof connects people and earth with the sky.

Inside the library, open-plan interiors create a warm, welcoming space that evokes the rich landscape of Wadawurrung Country through colour, materials, planting and views. Timber is used on bookshelves, furniture and fittings and rammed earth feature wall, which creates a raw, textural spine through the building separating the public front of house from amenities areas.

A feature floor pattern mimics a creek winding through the building, the continuation of a creek feature in the Town Square.

Planning is driven by functionality and flexibility, and will allow individuals and group of all ages to make the space their own.  Moveable furniture, operable walls and ample storage mean space can be configured as needed and will ensure the building can evolve with the community. The staffed areas of the library can be gated outside of hours, leaving other spaces accessible for evening events and activities creating a true day-night meeting place for the community.

The generous ground floor children’s zone caters to Armstrong Creek’s many young families. Upstairs, coworking and makers spaces will provide everyone with a technology-rich place for work and creativity. A winter garden on level 1 and terrace on level 2 allow access to the outdoors from every floor and connection with distant landscapes.

Best-practice sustainable design principles have been applied, including the use of environmentally friendly, robust materials and energy-efficient, low-maintenance fixtures.

Borek says the completed project has faithfully captured the original design intent right down to the detail, thanks to all stakeholders embracing the ‘living water’ narrative from the outset. “Establishing a clear conceptual framework that everyone understands, supports and champions streamlines the creative and approvals process and leads to a great outcome,” he adds.

As Armstrong Creek Town Centre Precinct’s first piece of civic infrastructure, Biyal-a Armstrong Creek Library plays an important role in establishing a sense of identity for the new precinct and sets a benchmark for future development. City of Greater Geelong Mayor Trent Sullivan is enthusiastic about the design and the value it will add to the region.

“The building is so distinctive from the outside and it’s looking amazing inside too. We know the love the community has for our local libraries and this building is going to be a real focal point for Armstrong Creek residents.”

Biyal-a Armstrong Creek Library is the result of a collaboration between Buchan, the City of Greater Geelong, Geelong Regional Library Corporation (GRLC), Wadawurrung Traditional Owners Aboriginal Corporation and community stakeholders.