Melville Library & Civic Centre

The council is located in a number of civic buildings from the 1970s, a library, council chambers and a performance space located between Wireless Hill Reserve and a 1970s shopping centre. The impeding extension of the shopping centre requires the demolition of the existing library, and provides an opportunity to create a new civic heart for Melville.

Project Details +

Project Details

LOCATION: Melville, Perth, Australia
CLIENT: Melville City Council
DATE: 2017-2018
STATUS: Competition
SIZE:  5,800m2 (760m2 library, 700m2 auditorium, 540m2 exhibitions, 910m2 community facilities, 1,720m2 office, 250m2 retail) 

Credits +

Credits

ACME: Nicholas Chrysostomou, Norine Chu, Shaban Ladha, Friedrich Ludewig, Eleni Meladaki, Anatolios Stathiou

Historic view from Wireless Hill

Wireless Hill Reserve

Melville Council Building

The existing council building is characterised by a large, shading roof that unifies the different parts. The new library should be created as an extension to the existing council building by enlarging the overarching roof towards the park and the new public spaces. The roof should be made accessible to the citizens of Melville, creating a great vantage point over the Wireless Hill Reserve towards downtown Perth, and giving direct access to the existing council chamber on the roof.

Existing podium of existing building

Introducing library, cafe, exhibition

Extending the roof

The resulting public realm consists of a sequence of different public spaces, a new Square, a new Library courtyard and a refurbished council courtyard with new level access. The roof becomes a public green space of transition between the shopping centre and the park, as well as a viewpoint, a source of shade, water retention and protection from elements.

Elevated public realm

Preservng existing trees, creating roof garden

Adding auditorium and communal work space on the roof

Related Projects

Ringwood Library

Royal Institute of Human Development

Eastland Town Square