Reviving Cultural Heritage

Bristol is a city located in southwestern England known for its historic significance and maritime heritage. The Temple Quarter in Bristol is a significant area for economic growth in the upcoming years. It has a historic connection to Bristol's maritime history, with Temple Meads and St Philips witnessing the transition from agriculture to railway and engineering projects. The area's importance lies in its contributions to the city's industry, such as the construction of the Floating Harbour and involvement in glass and ironworks. Bristol's rich literary culture also plays a role in preserving and celebrating its maritime heritage, with writers capturing and sharing the city's seafaring legacy through poetry, fiction, and historical chronicles.

For my brief, my design intention is to create a public library that has a welcoming and inclusive space that promotes community engagement. This will be done through the use of a hierarchy of space and relating to the heritage of the site to explore the different zones for public and private areas. Libraries in Bristol are primarily located in one area, leaving other communities, like Temple Quarters, with limited access to information. The current library system is dominated by university ownership, creating privacy barriers. To address these issues, a public community library is being proposed to provide accessible information and create a welcoming space for the community to gather.

The exploration of the third space will be used to provide opportunities for informal interactions and conversations. In reference to Louis Kahn’s theory of ‘inspired ritual’ and architectural space, “although subtle, the inflection invites a reading of space as an active medium, the larger interior consequently assuming the quality of a rhythmic whole.” This quote invites us to consider space not as a static backdrop but as an active and dynamic medium, where the perception of rhythm and harmony contributes to our understanding of a larger interior. It suggests that there is more to space than meets the eye and encourages deeper exploration of qualities and characteristics The construction of new small community libraries has led to architectural innovation, providing spaces for people to engage with others and symbolically represent their communities.

These libraries serve as vital "third places" for individuals beyond their homes and workplaces. However, designing these libraries poses a complex challenge of balancing the need to be a civic icon and public space while also offering opportunities for solitude and private moments immersed in knowledge and creativity.