The Warrnambool Library and Learning Centre has replaced the original local library, offering a larger, brighter, and more accessible space on the Southwest Institute of Technology and Continuing Education (TAFE) campus. Located in the heart of the Warrnambool Central Business District (CBD), it serves both the local community and Southwest TAFE students and staff.
This facility includes a modern indoor and outdoor café, public computers, exhibition and display areas, learning and reading spaces, conference rooms, dedicated children’s zones, and areas for gaming and digital media. The project is a collaborative effort between the Victorian Government, Southwest TAFE, and Warrnambool City Council, united in their vision to blend education, community, and the arts.
Informed by extensive public consultation, the project’s conceptual framework centers on three key principles:
- Pleasure: Emphasizing natural light, outdoor connections, varying light levels, and using light to mark the passage of time.
- History, Heritage, and Narrative: Ensuring the design reflects local history and heritage to create compelling storylines.
- The Third Space: Providing areas for idea exchange, entertainment, and fostering relationships.
The development features a new three-story modern building connected by a glazed corridor to the single-story Orderly Room, built in 1868 and heritage-listed. This is one of nine historically significant buildings on the site.
This passageway acts as a pedestrian alley, drawing foot traffic through the campus while clearly distinguishing heritage-listed buildings from new constructions.
A significant feature connecting the old and new structures is a ‘bridge’ on the first floor, located where the barracks’ library once stood. This bridge provides seating and performance space, along with panoramic views spanning both buildings.
The building’s curved façade metaphorically celebrates the beauty of Warrnambool and the ocean. Hammer-pleated precast concrete defines the modern superstructure’s aesthetic, harmonizing with the adjacent historic Customs House.
These dynamic forms separate the façade from glass elements and the planned landscape, while also serving to regulate sunlight and provide shading throughout the design.
The interior design draws inspiration from Robert Hoddle, a renowned 19th-century British surveyor and planner who established Warrnambool’s CBD grid, and from the grid-like ceilings found in barracks document rooms.
This approach extends the existing architectural relationship between the city and its heritage buildings, seamlessly linking the contemporary with the historic. Grid and hinged ceiling designs are featured throughout the new floor, presenting a modern reinterpretation of the original ceilings.
By reusing materials adaptively and carefully selecting long-lasting building materials, the project minimizes environmental impact. The landscape design supports local biodiversity and promotes the long-term growth of tree-lined pathways, complemented by newly created rain gardens.
Project Drawings
△ General Layout Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Third Floor Plan
△ Elevation Drawing
△ Section Diagram
△ Analysis Chart
Project Information
Architect: Kosloff Architecture
Area: 2479 m²
Project Year: 2021
Photographer: Derek Swalwell
Clients: Department of Education and Training Victoria (DET), South West TAFE (SWT), Warrnambool City Council (WCC)
Partners: Yinghaite Engineering Consulting (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Bryce Raworth
Architectural Design: Kosloff Architecture
Landscape Architect: TSA Management
Engineers: GLAS Landscape Architecture and Urban Design, Matter Consulting Engineers, WRAP Engineering
Location: Warrnambool, Australia
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