The 拢16m refurbishment scheme, designed by Hawkins\Brown, reinvents the public library for the 21st century

Formerly known as Plumstead Library, the new Plumstead Centre has been reinvented as a community centre better equipped to reverse the declining fortunes of the traditional lending library. 

Designed by architect Hawkins\Brown, the 拢16m refurbishment has retained and refreshed the existing Edwardian library housing the the children鈥檚 and adult lending libraries.

A single-storey extension at the rear has been replaced with a two-storey building that includes a gym and badminton court plus a glass-fronted foyer which now acts as the main entrance.

The original building has been reorganised to include a cafe, community rooms and two dance studios, the largest of which has a barrel vault that was discovered hidden behind a suspended ceiling.

Greenwich council owns the centre but the gym operator is responsible for the management and maintenance of the building including the library, which is a win for the council as it is no longer paying the running costs and a win for the residents who now have so much more on their doorstep.

All photography by Jack Hobhouse

 Project team

Architect: Hawkins\Brown

Client: Royal Borough of Greenwich

Main contractor: Osborne

Structural and services engineer: Stantec

QS: Faithful+Gould

 

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