First glimpse of £27.4 million library project

Visuals of how the finished library will look have now been released, showing major changes inside and out. Among them will be the creation of a stunning Reading Room which connects the building’s past and future, and a fully open-plan ground floor with a new gallery and exhibition space.



There will also be an architecturally-striking atrium link, totally redesigned study areas throughout, and a revamped exterior which will help embed the library at the heart of the campus.



Work by main contractor BAM is well under way onsite and, while the project in its entirety will be finished in 2014, our current students will feel the benefit of the project as the Reading Room is due for completion in the next few months.



University of Hull Vice-Chancellor, Professor Calie Pistorius, said: ‘It has taken a lot of hard work to reach this stage and it is wonderful to be able to give a first glimpse of what the library will look like once finished. Once the redevelopment is complete, we will have a state-of-the-art facility that we believe our students and staff will be proud of, and prospective students will look forward to using.’



The library redevelopment is the result of many years of work from those involved, with representatives of Hull University Union (HUU) among the key campaigners for the project.



Victoria Winterton, current Vice-President for Education at HUU, said: ‘I’m proud that a campaign run by HUU has led to a redevelopment which I believe will have a transformative impact, not only on the University campus but also on the experience of students studying in Hull.’



Dr Richard Heseltine, University Librarian, said: ‘The Brynmor Jones Library has a remarkable history, from its links with Philip Larkin to being at the heart of Hull’s 21st century student experience. We have worked closely with students, staff and other stakeholders to design a modern, flexible, technology-enabled library that meets the needs of all its users, and that will also function as a gateway to the University for the wider community, particularly through the new gallery and exhibition space. The library will remain open throughout the project, during the course of which we will be moving almost one million books and other items, sometimes two or three times. It is a massive undertaking, and the result will be a striking demonstration of the University’s confidence in the future.’



BAM is holding a suppliers’ day later this month to make sure the project will benefit the local economy. It is currently undertaking demolition and strip-out work, and will be moving books into their new spaces from the end of March.



BAM construction manager, Matthew Garnett, said: ‘BAM is working very hard to ensure this impressive and historic library remains at the cutting edge in the 21st century. When complete, students will benefit from lighter, airier spaces that are more conducive to study and better equipped for modern learning.’



Architects Sheppard Robson are behind the visionary designs for the new-look library. Alex Solk, Project Leader for Sheppard Robson, said: “It is wonderful to see this exciting project starting on site. Sheppard Robson has been working with the University of Hull to develop a design that will create a step change in learning environments. Situated at the heart of the campus, the library is also significant because of its connection with celebrated British poet Philip Larkin. Archive drawings, including watercolours of the original interiors, were one of the resources we drew on to create a design which would respect the library’s heritage while renewing its role and presence within the University.’



More details on the project and regular updates are available at www.hull.ac.uk/lli along with a gallery of the images.

The visuals depict:

The Reading Room

The new Reading Room on the first floor of the original 1959 building restores this part of the Library to its former grandeur. This large and imposing space provides an inspirational environment for quiet, individual study, with ready access to the new High Demand Collection located in the Reading Room. The T-shaped mezzanine floor, from where there is a view down over the rest of the Reading Room, provides further study space and accommodates the Media and Reference Collections. The main overhead lights are exact reproductions of the lights that originally hung in this area, reflecting the respect for heritage that has been a theme of the redevelopment.



The Atrium

Our architects, Sheppard Robson, were faced with the challenge of properly connecting the original 1959 building with the 1969 tower. These two areas are currently joined by a narrow link at ground floor level, and are at different levels at the first floor with no second floor connection at all. The new glass-fronted atrium extending from the ground to the second floor provides an architecturally-striking solution. It contains a new staircase and lifts to the second floor, replacing the current staircases at the east and west ends of the Library. From the new staircase or lifts, it will be possible to step out into either side of a fully integrated building. The existing lifts will only be used to take people from the second floor to the upper floors of the tower block.

The Tower Floors

Floors 3 to 7 of the tower will be largely identical. All shelving has been removed from the central areas and the open spaces created by this contain a variety of relaxed, informal seating. Formal individual desks for quiet study are provided around the perimeter of each floor. There is an information and resource point at the exit from the lifts, providing printing, photocopying and scanning facilities, self-service book issue, and quick information terminals. Digital signage is used to provide further information about the use of the Library and its collections. Bookable group study rooms are available on each floor of the Library, and the wireless network provides Internet connectivity throughout the building.



The Gallery

The ground floor of the original 1959 building, which contained teaching rooms prior to the redevelopment, is being converted into two stunning spaces.  At the front, facing the centre of the campus, there will be a new art gallery, designed to national standards for gallery space. This will contain the University Art Collection, which will be moved from its current location in the basement of the Middleton Hall. Adjoining the gallery, there will be a flexible exhibition and events space. This might be used for temporary exhibitions, by academic areas wishing to showcase their research, for literary or musical events, or for receptions. The whole of the ground floor of the Library will be open to all, positioning the Library as one of the principal gateways to the University for the wider community.



The South Elevation

The south side of the Library is transformed by the new atrium, entrance and cafe.  The atrium, which provides a striking solution to the challenge of properly connecting the two buildings that make up the Library, gives the south side an impressive wall of glass into which a new entrance is built.  This complements the existing entrance on the east side, which is retained and upgraded in the redevelopment.  The new 80-seat cafeteria on the ground floor of the tower will open out into the colonnaded terrace in good weather.  The area to the south of the Library will be completely re-landscaped.  The overall effect of these changes on the south side of the building will be to connect the Library with the west campus, enabling the building to fulfil a unifying function at the heart of the campus as a whole.



About the University of Hull

The University of Hull is an institution with a long heritage of academic excellence and is rich in tradition. Established in 1927 as England’s fourteenth university, it received a Royal Charter in 1954 and has campuses in Hull and Scarborough.

The University has an illustrious history which includes pioneering developments in science and engineering, health, business, humanities and social sciences as well as performing arts. The University today is a vibrant and future-oriented institution, recognised for excellence in learning and teaching as well as a commitment to research, enterprise and engagement. The University is known for its friendliness and high student satisfaction as well as the employability of its graduates.

The University regularly features in the top bracket of national teaching quality league tables and has consistently performed impressively in the National Student Survey, reflecting the high premium the University places on the quality of student experience. Staff and students frequently win prestigious national and international awards and accolades.

Research and enterprise are core academic activities of the University. Amongst its most well known achievements are the discovery of liquid crystal displays and the bone density scanner which revolutionised the detection of osteoporosis, both of which were featured in Eureka UK's list of ‘100 discoveries and developments in UK universities that have changed the world’. The most recent Research Assessment Exercise revealed that 80% of the University’s submitted research is of international standard in terms of originality, significance and rigour.



For more information visit: www.hull.ac.uk