Location: Moe, Australia.

Architect: fjmt.

The Frank Bartlett Library and Community Centre is a new public space located in the town of Moe in Victoria, Australia. The project has transformed the town by creating a central gathering space that was previously lacking. The design features a curved and stepped platform made of landscape and concrete that follows the railway line, shielding the noise and impact of the trains while opening up to the town centre to create a new sunlit public square and community focus. Two timber-clad volumes are suspended above the curved podium and cantilever over the public space, forming a focus for this civic vista. The library and meeting and consulting rooms are located on opposite sides of the building, with a community kitchen and cafe that include a large glass picture window enhancing the “theatre” of moving trains. The two upstairs reading areas provide a different experience with curvaceous timber-clad ceilings that frame the views and provide spaces awash with natural, filtered daylight. The community is embracing opportunities for markets, festival and public events, and Latrobe City Council has invited residents to use the facilities to start community groups based on their personal interests. The project has used locally sourced materials and trades, encouraging sustainable outcomes and boosting the local economy. When the latter stages are developed, it will also become a wider drawcard for the community including skatepark and further social infrastructure.

Photo credit: John Gollings.