Finglas Library
2023, Dublin, Ireland
Status
Awards
It is said that the greenest building is the one already built and the opportunity to repurpose the vacant An Post Sorting Office as a public library was underpinned by the sustainability agenda of Dublin City Council. The building already had good bones, and was typical of the spare contemporary style adopted by An Post in the mid twentieth century. A concrete roof supported on pale green beams appears to float over a simple rough rendered box. Doorways were adorned with little canopies and embellished with small tiles. In developing the design following the Part VIII submitted by Crean Salley Architects, we appreciated those careful details that elevated the everyday nature of this very functional building and set about revealing and enhancing its essential characteristics. The main library space is a generous volume, full of light because of the continuous clerestory glazing, into which are inserted glass louvres for natural ventilation. These are shaded by aluminium louvres on the south façade. The children’s library is a more intimate scale and a new slatted ceiling has been inserted to conceal services and support acoustic insulation. Three porthole windows have been inserted for views out to the street and school beyond.
We hoped to create a calm and serene space, full of light, for people to visit and to feel at home in. The walls and shelving is all white, in contrast to the jewel like colours of the upholstery and noticeboards-apple green and indigo-and the oak flooring. The library is a civic space and extends its generosity to the public realm outside. The difference in level between street and building was a challenge for accessibility. This challenge was overcome by creating a micro park in front, threaded through by a gentle sloped path. A timber bench breaks the journey half way. A brick paved space is carved out by the entrance for people to gather or wait for the bus. The building enclosure, which was basically uninsulated, has been thermally upgraded to a respectable BER of B1. This may be improved to an A3 by the addition of solar panels. The addition of the micro park and a garden to the rear has increased biodiversity and will provide a green space for the citizens of Finglas to enjoy.