University of Bristol's new landmark library and landscaped public realm
CSJ Planning have secured planning permission for an iconic new landmark library for the University of Bristol. Located at the heart of the University's Clifton campus, the new library will transform the area through new and enhanced facilities, improvements to the public realm, and creating a welcoming heart to the University for the benefit of the University’s staff and students, the city of Bristol.
The ground floor will be open to all and will incorporate a cafe, gallery, events and exhibitions spaces, Creative Lab (collaborative space for traditional, physical, and cutting-edge digital technologies), and the Cultural Collections Centre. The library will be a new cultural destination for Bristol, providing visitors with access to an inspiring programme of events; and the new Cultural Collections Centre will bring to the forefront the nationally significant ‘Special’ and ‘Theatre’ Collections for the first time, transforming the ability to realise their huge potential.
The new library will be an architecturally significant building. As a place to learn and a place to be, it will bring together some of the very best aspects of the city for the benefit of those who live, learn and work here. The building features a bold stepped design to integrate with the surrounding buildings and historic context, and it will meet high sustainability standards with a focus on natural light, a high level of energy efficiency and low environmental impact.
The new public realm will incorporate a new civic square which will deliver an enriched open space, providing much needed relief from the noise and pollution of surrounding streets, making the campus a safer place for University staff, students, school children, and the wider pubic. The space will be more attractive, and accessible to all.
The new library will incorporate a number of key spaces, including:
- Study spaces: 2,000 seats ranging from quiet individual to collaborative group study
- Teaching and learning collections: access to 420,000 books and 70,000 journals
- Centre for Cultural Collections: public access to the University’s world-class unique and distinctive collections
- Creative Lab: collaborative workspace for making, learning, exploring, and sharing
- Event and exhibition spaces: a new cultural destination for Bristol
