Harrow Libary, Harrow Campus, University of Westminster

The University of Westminster’s Harrow Library has been transformed to create a vibrant and inspiring learning environment, fit for a dynamic and design-savvy end user.

Stripping back the space to its shell and applying a new layout with plenty of natural light and sharp, clean lines, now gives a modern studio feel to the space.

Silent study booths and high-backed armchairs support individual learning and sit alongside custom designed IT benches and more informal, social soft seating areas. The use of honest materials with bold geometric lighting and occasional highlights of colour makes the library an exciting destination on the campus that provides valuable places for students to read and study.

Delivered in two phases, the project also involved the transformation of an existing external courtyard to create a mature landscape which includes unique ‘Pods’ for group study as an extension of the library.

“We wanted to create a space that was fit for the artistic end user. The raw materials and soft furnishing give a studio feel, with splashes of colour helping to zone the spaces. It was also important to offer a variety of spaces for silent and independent study. The large curtain to the reading rooms is a physical and acoustic barrier to the quieter spaces which gives the rooms a feeling of privacy.”
— Tim Robinson, Project Architect