How to research the history, development, architecture, collections and management of the State Library of Victoria.
In 2015 the Library embarked on a five-year redevelopment project (Vision 2020), funded by a $55.4 million budget allocation from the Victorian Government and $28 million in philanthropic contributions.
In August 2015 the Library received a $10 million donation from the Ian Potter Foundation, to fund the refurbishment of Queen's Hall. This would allow the Library to reopen the space to the public for the first time in more than 12 years.
In December 2016 a $13 million funding boost for the redevelopment project was announced. The John and Myriam Wylie Foundation donated $8 million to reopen the Library’s Russell Street entrance and transform the eastern end of the building, including creating a new world-class exhibition gallery, the Victoria Gallery. The Victorian Government committed an additional $5 million to enhance all Library entrances and surrounding streetscapes. This funding was used to increase access to the Library with a new universally accessible entrance on La Trobe Street.
In March 2017 a $3 million donation by philanthropists Maria and Allan Myers QC was announced.
In early June 2017 the Library announced a $2 million donation by Christine Christian, one of Australia’s leading business women, to establish StartSpace – a new centre designed to boost opportunities for budding entrepreneurs in Victoria.
In early September 2017 Jane Hansen and Paul Little AO, two of Australia’s foremost business leaders and philanthropists, made a $3.5 million donation towards two redeveloped spaces in the Library. In recognition of this generous support, Palmer Hall was renamed Hansen Hall; and the Courtyard (Events Space) was renamed the Conversation Quarter, endowed by the Hansen Little Foundation.
In late January 2019 the Library received a donation of $2 million from John and Pauline Gandel, through Gandel Philanthropy, to help deliver the new Children’s Quarter and provide free literacy programs created by children, for children. In recognition of this gift, the Children’s Quarter was renamed the Pauline Gandel Children’s Quarter.
The architectural designs for the redevelopment were made available to the public on 30 March 2017. Works began in 2017. The new spaces were opened on 5 December 2019. (StartSpace, housed in the Ideas Quarter and the mezzanine above, was launched on 12 March 2020).
This significant redevelopment project has transformed the Library so we can better meet the current and future needs of the community. The focus has been optimising sections of the building to open up an additional 1000m2 space for public use, as well as developing programs and facilities that provide vital and improved economic, cultural and education opportunities for all Victorians. A major achievement of the project has been to increase the space available to the public by 40%.
On 10 July 2020 the Architectus + Schmidt Hammer Lassen team won three awards for the redevelopment project at the Australian Institute of Architects Victorian Awards. This included the coveted Melbourne Prize as well as awards for Heritage – Conservation and Public Architecture. Architectus + Schmidt Hammer Lassen were awarded a National Commendation for Public Architecture in the 2020 Royal Australian Institute of Architects (RAIA) National Architecture Awards. The redevelopment also won the National Exemplar Award at the 2021 Australian Library Design Awards, the Urban Design Award at the 2021 Melbourne Awards, and Best Heritage Development at the Property Council's 2021 Innovation and Excellence Awards.
Architects were announced April 2016:
Architectus
Schmidt Hammer Lassen
These two architectural firms were supported by Andronas Conservation Architecture, IrwinConsult and Steensen Varming Engineers.
The builders appointed to the project were Built. Their appointment was announced on 5 August 2017.
Construction began in 2017.
21 September 2018 saw the opening of the new Russell and La Trobe Street entrances, Russell Street Welcome Zone, relocated Newspaper and Family History Reading Rooms, relocated Arts Reading Room, Cowen Gallery information desk, and the Isabella Fraser Room.
The Victoria Gallery (formerly the La Trobe Gallery) opened to the public on 24 October 2019.
Redeveloped spaces opened to the public on 5 December 2019: Ian Potter Queen's Hall, Swanston Street Entrance (formerly the Foyer), The Quad (formerly Trescowthick Information Centre/Information Centre), Hansen Hall (formerly Palmer Hall), Pauline Gandel Children's Quarter (formerly Experimedia), Conversation Quarter (formerly the Courtyard), Ideas Quarter (formerly the Family History & Newspapers Room/staff space), Create Quarter (formerly the Arts Library).
StartSpace, housed in the Ideas Quarter and the mezzanine above, was launched (re-opened) on 12 March 2020.
At the media call to announce the Jane Hansen and Paul Little donations, on 4 September 2017, a set of coins was symbolically placed under the north-west courtyard at the Swanston Street site, to mark the beginning of the redevelopment works. This ceremony echoed the placement of coins in the original Library foundation stone, when it was laid in 1854 (according to a reference found on the Trove historic Australian newspapers database, by SLV staff member Matthew van Hasselt). To preserve the coins from the 2017 ceremony, they have since been placed in the Library collection (Pictures Collection accession number H2019.254).
In 2017, Hansen Yuncken was announced as the builder for BOSS2, the Library's $21.4 million second offsite collection storage facility at Federation University Australia (Ballarat), with funds provided by the Victorian Government as part of its Collection Storage Victoria and Creative State strategies.
BOSS2 will join the Library's current storage facility, BOSS1 (Ballarat Off-site Store), at the University’s Mount Helen campus, near Ballarat. BOSS1 already holds more than half of the Library's physical collection, at 50 linear kilometres, and BOSS2 will add more than 25 linear kilometres of storage space - enough space until 2027.
During the redevelopment, the most detailed and up-to-date source of information was the official website:
State Library Victoria, Vision 2020 [online]
Website with updates and answers to questions about the redevelopment project.
Hamann, Conrad, May/June 2020, State Library Victoria Vision 2020: Architectus and Schmidt Hammer Lassen, Architecture Australia
Feature article on the Library by an Associate Professor in Architectural History at RMIT. Reviews the Library’s Vision 2020 redevelopment and delves into the history of the Library’s buildings. Hamann says, ‘What marks this refurbishment is the architects’ willingness to go with the building’s idiosyncrasies and episodes. The work recognises that large institutional buildings such as this carry inside them their own history and culture, and that refurbishment is as much a weaving, a negotiation, as an outright renewal'.
The Age 13 Mar. 2020, p. 18 Rebuilt State Library is now open for business.
Backhouse, Sarah and Newton, Clare, 9 Dec 2019, State Library Victoria proves libraries aren’t just about books: they’re about community, The Conversation
Robin, Jo and Sutherland, Isla, 5 Dec 2019, The State Library has finally reopened after its $88.1 million revamp, Broadsheet
Webb, Carolyn, 5 Dec 2019, The quiet achiever: State Library's lost landmark is hidden no more, The Age
Architectus, 6 May 2016, Outline of the project [online]
Schmidt Hammer Lassen Outline pf prroject
Bailey, Michael, Pioneering businesswoman to fund start-up incubator. The Australian Financial Review 01 June 2017: p.47.
Bailey, Michael, Wylies hit on the winning formula to entice millennials to the library. The Australian Financial Review 22 September 2018 p.8
Brown, Simon Leo, Five items you may see in the State Library's new Victoria Gallery, ABC News 14 December 2016
Creative Victoria, 30 March 2017, Victorian kids help architects design their dream library
Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and Resources, 30 April 2015, State Library of Victoria redevelopment announcement
Edwards, Jean, State Library of Victoria to receive $83 million facelift, including rooftop terrace, 29 April 2015 ABC News
Major Projects Victoria, State Library of Victoria
This statement was published on the Department of Transport, Planning and Local Infrastructure (DTPLI) website.
