Old Byron Library Precinct

Our architectural concept for the Old Byron Library presents a rhythmic, vertically proportioned urban facade to the street. A diagonal breezeway generates a verdant microclimate for the site, expanding local laneway systems through intimate public spaces.

Project Background
The township of Byron Bay missed out on our Stage 2 competition submission for the Old Byron Library site. Council's brief called for a fine-grained, mixed-use project that would provide a best-practice example for future development in the town centre. The unusual building configuration draws people deep into the site providing additional activated frontage and human-scaled spaces. Structural and material strategies emphasised locally sourced and biodegradable elements.

Activated precinct
The footpath is activated with smaller shop frontages, and a diagonal passage crosses the site providing additional frontage for retail and facade for apartment light and ventilation. This porous circulation system of naturally ventilated breezeways rises up the building and is dominated by stack-effect performance utilising luscious planting and cooling breezes.

A diagonal “passage” and small civic space provide a fine-grained addition to the street and lane network of Byron Bay. These new armatures offer a pedestrian-only shortcut towards main street and the beach. Trafficable surfaces are imagined as local basalt bush-rock from Bay Area Stoneworks in a semi-porous paving arrangement.

Human scaled
Site organisation hopes to catalyse a similar style of development on neighhbouring sites. Laneways can connect through on both N-S and E-W axis and neighbouring sites can take advantage of this new pedestrian network that offers a welcome local vibe in contrast to more generic bulky retailers.

Central to our proposal is a small, North-facing public space. This place is a quiet bleed-out space for a local Artists “Salon” on the southern edge, and a cafe-bar flanking the eastern edge. The place is also the location of an immersive art installation that combines a super-graphic wall mural with a sculptural planted and seating terrain.

Grow and store
A different series of functions are located high up on the roof where exposure to the elements is most extreme. The project takes advantage of its elevation utilising energy from the sun for drying clothes, growing food and generating electricity. When the rain comes these surfaces collects water for storage and re-use.

Project: Old Byron Library Precinct
Type: Architecture - Housing
Description: Proposal for a new mixed-use precinct comprising ten apartments and five shops and located on the Old Byron Bay Library site
Location: Byron Bay, NSW
Client: Byron Shire Council
Year: 2016
Services: Architecture - Sketch Design
Team: A RAW Architects project - Adam Russell (Principal), Ben Wollen
Project code: 1625