24&25
Swindon Central Library
“Willmott Dixon’s team applied quality construction and management
A cultural hub and an emblem
excellence. We got everything that was promised, and they have set
the standard for performance, quality, sustainability and approach”
of civic pride
Nic Newland, Head of Design and Construction, Swindon Borough Council Property Services
Swindon’s magnificent new Central design team, to deliver the project.
Library fulfils a promise to the A relationship of trust and an
37,000
community and is an iconic symbol accommodating approach on both sides
of dynamic regeneration for the town. enabled us to work jointly towards
The number of people who visited the
Replacing portable buildings that served achieving a mutual goal, with the
library in the first month of opening
as the town’s main library for nearly 30 Council’s Property Services Head of
years, the flagship £6.8 million library Design and Construction making rapid
is a shining example of how a modern decisions to help us maintain the rate
library can be and an outstanding local of progress. We even cooperated to
84%
community success. continue construction work while a
protected bird temporarily nested on
In six weeks there was an 84% average
Designed by the Council’s in-house a stairway.
increase in usage
architects, the library sets the highest
standards in design and environmental In our client feedback survey, the
quality, and with 60 computers, a Council awarded us 11 out of 10 for
variety of zones including a ‘pod’ for our commitment to making the project
QUADRUPLED
storytelling, bay windows with built-in a success and top marks in 13 out
seats and a smart cafe, it has fantastic of 15 categories.
Library membership initially doubled and
appeal for a wide range of users.
had quadrupled within two months
e library opened on time and on
budget and attracted over 11,000 people
in the first week, and over 37,000 in the
EXCELLENT
first month. It is a place that people of
all ages want to go, whether to use the
The Library achieved BREEAM Excellent
library resources, meet for a coffee, read
rating and was awarded the best BREEAM
the paper before work, or in one case, use
building in its category
it for sewing because the lighting
is so good.
A�RATED
e building was complex in design and
construction, and we worked in close
A-rate Green Guide products and high
partnership with the Council, and
levels of insulation and air tightness,
specifically Property Services and their
underfloor heating, natural ventilation,
solar water heating, rain water harvesting
STANDING OUT FROM THE CROWD
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32