Beijing beats Sydney with ‘spectacular’ building in library of the year competition

An underdog Sydney entry has been beaten by a “spectacular” Chinese building for a prestigious international award.

An underdog Sydney entry has been beaten by a “spectacular” 75,000 square metre Chinese building to be named the international library of the year.

Liverpool Council’s “state-of-the-art” new Yellamundie Library, which opened last December after a fire destroyed the previous building, was one of four finalists in the running for this year’s Public Library of the Year, presented by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA).

Yellamundie, which means “storyteller” in the local Dharug language, covers 5000 square metres over six levels featuring two kilometres of shelving and more than 85,000 items, with a curvilinear design, marked by circular windows around the entire building, inspired by the flow of the Georges River.

The library, designed by FJC Studio, was part of a $600 million revamp of Liverpool’s Civic Place. Yellamundie was one of 16 libraries from 10 countries that entered this year’s awards, and was named in the final four last month.

The ‘spectacular’ Beijing Library was named Public Library of the Year. Picture: IFLA

But at the awards ceremony in Barcelona on Monday night, the top gong went to Beijing Library in Tongzhou, a branch of the Capital Library of China which also opened its doors in December last year.

Dwarfing Yellamnudie in size and cost — budgeted at 1.415 billion yuan ($300 million) — the 75,000 square metre Beijing Library stood out as a “as a vibrant and inviting book heaven with so many things to offer, as well as impressive sustainable solutions within the building”, jury chair Jakob Guillois Lærkes said in a statement.

“The jury were particularly impressed by how people, books and nature are connected throughout the design and programming of the building,” he added.

Co-designed by architects Snøhetta of Norway and ECADI of China, Beijing Library boasts the “world’s largest climatised reading space”, with curved stepped terraces mirroring the landscape of the nearby Tonghui River with sculpted hills and valleys.

“The terraces serve as an informal zone for relaxing, talking, or reading while staying connected to the larger space,” the IFLA said.

“Incorporating technologies to minimise the building’s embodied and operational carbon footprint, it employs modular components with a rationalised structural grid to reduce manufacturing waste. The columns holding the impressive skylike roof are also fitted with climate control technologies, including lighting, acoustics control, and rainwater collection.”

Liverpool’s Yellamundie Library made it into the top four. Picture: IFLA

Beijing Library deputy director Li Nianzu said it was a “place that sparks curiosity and creativity, and it fully embodies our vision of transformation”.

“It is a great honour to receive this award,” he said. “Thank you to the committee and to everyone, who has supported us. We look forward to welcoming everyone, who loves libraries, in Beijing.”

Mr Lærkes praised the “particularly strong” field this year. The other two finalists were The Shenzhen Library North in China and Kaunas County Public Library in Lithuania.

“From large and impressive prestige buildings to innovative and sustainable solutions as well as how to transform an existing library building to a completely new outcome,” he said.

Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun said in a statement to The Guardian on Tuesday that it was an honour just making it into the top four.

“Being a finalist in a prestigious worldwide award confirmed council’s vision to create a magnificent library that was not only functional but also aesthetically stunning,” he said. “Being a finalist was a huge honour for the City of Liverpool and shows that it is truly a global city that is a world destination in its own right.”

The IFLA award is sponsored by US-based book distributor Baker & Taylor and comes with a $US5000 ($7400) cash prize.

Australia has previously had one winning entry, with Craigieburn Library in Victoria winning the 2014 award for its “modern construction and use of open and flexible space”.

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