The new 83,000-square-foot central library located on Baker Street in Guelph, Ont.’s downtown is net-zero-certified and was designed to meet Guelph’s projected population growth.Supplied/Diamond Schmitt Architects
More than 2½ times the size of the current facility, the new Guelph Central Library, under construction in the city’s downtown, will serve the needs of a population expected to nearly double by 2050.
As a net-zero-certified free-standing library, the 83,000-square-foot building is part of Guelph, Ont.’s broader civic improvement story that includes a multiyear urban renewal project with new public squares and mixed-use buildings by Windmill Developments.
Designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects and set to open in 2027 in line with the city’s bicentennial, the new library on Baker Street will anchor the Baker District redevelopment that’s intended to further revitalize Guelph’s downtown. By 2051, the city expects its population to grow from 132,000 to 203,000, which is why it’s starting to plan now.
“We need community supports like libraries, but we also need physical infrastructure like pipes in the ground,” says Stacey Laughlin, downtown revitalization adviser at the City of Guelph. “All of this works toward supporting the overall growth in the city and making our downtown more vibrant – increasing its population and density, supporting its businesses and increasing overall tourism.”
In Canada, Guelph is not alone when it comes to its revitalization efforts. In June, the country’s largest cities called on the federal government to prioritize downtown transformations to support economic growth and community culture.
The first floor of the new Guelph Central Library is marked by a large atrium that will overlook a future public square, which is intended to serve as a gathering space and to facilitate additional outdoor programming.Supplied/Diamond Schmitt Architects
Libraries as community hubs
Historically, libraries have been lauded as important community investments, which is what makes Guelph’s forthcoming facility a notable asset. Recently, Toronto Public Library reported that for every dollar invested in the library, Torontonians receive $5.63 back.
“Libraries are open to everybody, so a brand new central library is just a big draw for the entire community,” says Dan Atkins, chief executive at the Guelph Public Library.
Prior to becoming the future home of the new central library, the site housed a municipal parking lot that was erected after Guelph’s historic Royal City Curling and Skating Club burned down in 1914.
The new central library on Baker Street will replace the existing one on Norfolk Street and feature new services and programs that aren’t feasible at the current branch. For instance, there will be a makerspace that includes 3-D printers, laser-cutting and two recording studios.
“People can record a podcast or lay down a musical track,” Mr. Atkins says. “We’ll also have a dedicated area for teenagers, which is something we really lack now.”
The business case for more space
The Guelph Public Library is the oldest free public library in Ontario. Since opening its first facility in 1883, it has undergone several site changes, additions and renovations, though the city has since recognized the need for a new, more modern location.
In 2017, Guelph Public Library engaged KPMG to develop a business case for building a new central library. The consultants identified a need since the current location didn’t meet the demands of Guelph’s projected population growth.
“We are undersized,” Mr. Atkins says. “This library was built in 1965 when Guelph had half the population. The one thing we heard consistently from the community was the desire for more affordable booking spaces and rooms of various sizes, so we’ve integrated that into the final design.”
Other elements that contributed to the business case were structural issues with the existing library, as well as accessibility concerns and the need to meet Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) requirements.
The library was designed to evoke the idea of growth from one floor to the next. While the ground floor was built to be loud and open, the second floor is more orderly, while the third is intended to support introspection and historical discovery.Supplied/Diamond Schmitt Architects
Growing up, brick by brick
Duncan Bates, principal at Diamond Schmitt Architects, has called Guelph home for more than two decades. He drafted his first sketches of the new central library eight years ago. As a local, the project holds special meaning.
“I understand the history of the site, the history of the Baker District redevelopment and the needs of the community,” Mr. Bates says. “The changes that are highly visible throughout the downtown core really resonate with me.”
Led by Mr. Bates, the team at Diamond Schmitt approached the library’s design one floor at a time, making sure to interweave the heritage fabric of downtown Guelph into the building’s exterior through long-format Roman brick.
The layout of the building was carefully curated to maximize patrons’ experience. The ground floor was designed as a hub that encourages exploration and is home to the children’s library collection and community meeting room.
“It is wide open and highly engaged,” Mr. Bates says. “It’s loud, it’s unencumbered and it is highly visible.”
The first floor connects to the second floor with a cascading staircase and an AODA-compliant elevator. It is marked by a large atrium that will overlook a future public square, which is intended to serve as a gathering space and to facilitate additional outdoor programming.
The second floor features adult fiction and teen book sections, a makerspace and two terraces overlooking Baker Street and Chapel Lane.
Finally, the third floor houses the library’s non-fiction section and a curated collection of Guelph’s local archives. The space lacks conventional windows and instead features openings in the brick and the sawtooth roof profile to allow natural light into the building.
In addition, the library will also feature meeting rooms to accommodate groups ranging from two to 100 and a catering kitchen.
“Looking at the whole building, the ground floor is this loud, boisterous, open, explorative space,” Mr. Bates says. “The second floor is a space that has a bit more framework, is a bit more ordered and with a rigor to it. Finally, the third floor is an introspective space embedded in research and historical discovery.”
For Mr. Bates, the library’s architecture expresses the idea of growth from one floor to the next.
“Public libraries are really about meeting people where they are,” says Mr. Atkins. “There’s no greater institution that can meet these community needs than a public library.”