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Summertown Library
Govan, Glasgow

I was asked to present my design process of this project to the current 2023-34 Strathclyde architecture 4th year class. 

This project is currently displayed in Strathclyde architecture department as an exemplar 4th year project.

Year 4,  University of Strathclyde

 

This project was completed in two phases:

 

Phase 1:

An Active urban strategy focused on to re-connecting vacant and industrial land back to the existing urban grain by adding more social infrastructure, education,  community resources and housing.

 

Phase 2

focuses on the library as a piece of "social infrastructure" which acts as a social anchor to the sports park, pushed back from the street edge creating a south facing public square; A multipurpose space for play, gathering and individual reflection.

 

The libraries mixed program creates levels of learning, social opportunities and jobs for the community. With facilities such as community café, workshop, cinema, kids play, recording studios, classrooms and library reading room. 

Environmental strategy

The environmental strategy for this building is holistically linked from the outset; considering material section, building form, orientation, ecological and land strategy. Taking advantage of its orientation for solar gain, heating cooling and fabric first approach are key to the building form and environmental design. 

Designed with solar gain in mind, each elevation of this building is slightly different respecting its orientation environmental requirements, with the double skin façade providing solar shading and solar gain when needed. 

Due to the mixed program within the building a hybrid ventilation system is used throughout. With passive ventilation used where possible in the summer months and a heat recovery system used within the winter months. 

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