Rammed Earth Library in Fremantle, Perth, WA
Rammed earth “stacks”, inspired by the environmental system found in the termite world, has structured the Fremantle Kings Square competition entry. Another Western Australian project for Luigi Rosselli Architects.
Project Team
Kristina Sahleström
Daniel Spence
Luigi Rosselli
This natural ventilation and lighting system is a key component of the design, making the rammed earth volumes both sculptural and functional, allowing the rammed earth structures to become an iconic presence in the city and help define the Kings Square triangular geometry once lost. © Luigi Rosselli Architects
The library is the book end, together with the historic Town Hall, to an “Urban Room”, a public space protected from elements but open to Kings Square and the retail precinct at the back of the building. © Luigi Rosselli Architects
The Rammed earth wells are positioned to facilitate the important lines of desire and sight lines , creating a landscape sculpted by a process of erosion, hollowing out the Urban Room at its mid . The design solution of the stacks uses the same clay hydroscopic capacity to cool down when air circulation evaporates the humidity absorbed by the day. Together with drawing air from a cooler basement, thermal mass and passive solar skylight system at the top, the stack becomes an air conditioner to the building. © Luigi Rosselli Architects
The design attempts to weave the existing town hall building into the design by treating it as one of a series of sculptural volumes that mark the crucial corners of the site, acting as landmarks in the streets surrounding the square. The new library becomes the balancing volume to the town hall, leaning out to be a visible form from the crossroads and be an easily identifiable landmark without rivalling the town hall clock tower. The meeting between the new civic building and the existing town hall is done lightly, giving it space whilst simultaneously putting it on display. © Luigi Rosselli Architects
The Urban Room in the centre becomes the stage for public events, happenings, screening, meet-and-greets, protests and other minutiae of civic life taking place in a successful public square. © Luigi Rosselli Architects