Inspirational school libraries from around the world – gallery

From a story garden in Cornwall to hexagonal towers in Los Angeles, we look at inventive spaces designed to get children excited about books. School libraries shelve tradition to create new learning spaces.
 
Sarah Marsh and Lisa Spiller
Thursday 8 January 2015 10.00 GMT

The Stephen Perse Foundation junior school in Cambridge asked architects chadwick dryer clarke to redesign an area of their school for storytelling. The outcome: lots of open spaces along with a stage for pupils to act out what they have learned.

Photograph: Daniel Shearing

Renowned architect Louis Kahn was commissioned to design the Phillips Exeter Academy in 1965. It was complete by 1971. The space provides access to 260,000 print and electronic volumes.

Photograph: Phillips Exeter Academy Archives

The Robin Hood Library Initiative, a partnership of the Robin Hood Foundation and the New York City Department of Education, was supported by the city’s mayor and corporate donors. A team of architects worked with the community to design, build and equip new elementary school libraries. This is one of the school’s they worked with in the Bronx.

Photograph: Peter Mauss of Esto

Another school renovated as part of the Robin Hood Initiative. Since 2002, 62 libraries have been decorated in an unprecedented effort to improve the educational opportunities of New York’s neediest children. This image shows another school in the Bronx.

Photograph: Peter Mauss of Esto

Nansole academy in Cornwall has created a story garden with a hobbit house, waterfall, castle area (with a mock ship), and this wonderful spider web.

Photograph: Dawn Woods/School Library Association

The library at Cordwalles junior school in Surrey has been transformed into an enchanted forest complete with astroturf for carpet. The room has a magical feel with a working water feature.

Photograph: Cordwalles junior school

The Duston school in Northampton adapted its library to suit a range of lessons and activities. The soft seating area near the mural encourages reading for pleasure. The panels are rearranged during exam season to create individual revision stations.

Photograph: The Duston school

Duston school’s mural was created by Ashley Elliott, a former student who now works for the school as the events and partnership co-ordinator. It shows the London skyline and was installed to celebrate the 2012 Olympics.

Photograph: The Duston school

Locke High school in Los Angeles renovated their 3,000 square foot student area into an open, minimalist space that is now known as Locke Jetspace. It includes books layered in hexagonal towers which can be modified to serve as seating, shelving or a workspace.

Photograph: No Right Brain Left Behind

No Right Brain Left Behind helped design the Jetspace with a view to see a library would look like in 2050. The space serves nearly 2,000 students and has audio and visual capabilities, mobile technologies such iPads, prototyping materials and more.

Photograph: No Right Brain Left Behind

A college in Suffolk, One sixth form, built this learning resource centre with reading and computer facilities in their school atrium. It’s used by students and the local community.

Photograph: One sixth form college

Toorak college in Melbourne, Australia, utilised their vast Norman Carson Library by creating lots of sociable seating areas, including this bean bag nook for quiet reading.

Photograph: Toorak college

Rosendale primary school in south London needed a library but didn’t have the space. The solution, devised by designer Kate Gorely working with Forge Architects, was to create a learning zone winning the School Library Association Library Design Award for 2011.

Photograph: Forge Architects

Keeping some of the original features, such as seats, allows every inch of the Rosendale library bus to give pupils reading and learning opportunities.

Photograph: Rosendale school

Located near Hadrian’s Wall, Haltwhistle Community Campus wanted to capture students imagination and embrace local heritage when they overhauled their library space. Using a Roman theme, castle-style brickwork wallpaper was added and a feature wall giving the illusion of a Northumbrian valley.

Photograph: FG Library

Wybourn community primary school in Sheffield combined technology with traditional reading styles at its school. There’s open seating as well as one or two nooks for those wanting some quiet time.

Photograph: Julian S Wood

ACS Hillingdon International school transformed their library into a magical poetry palace for Poetry Week. Dens and caves were created, windows blackened and fairy lights installed to create a magical reading experience.

Photograph: ACS Hillingdon International school

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Dame Bradbury’s school in Saffron Walden commissioned chadwick dryer clarke to redesign the school’s library when it was relocated to their Edwardian caretaker’s house. The tree of knowledge concept they used became a central focal point, providing seating and book storage.

Photograph: Daniel Shearing

http://www.theguardian.com/teacher-network/gallery/2015/jan/08/school-libraries-world-books-gallery