Brooklin Library and Community Centre

Brooklin, Ontario

A remnant forest in the historic village of Brooklin, Ontario provides the setting and inspiration for this district library and community centre. Each of the key program areas including the library, community centre and gymnasium are housed in one of three linked structures whose rooflines and simple forms recall the region’s agrarian roots. A sophisticated approach to structural articulation, detailing and materiality transforms a regional inspiration into a sharply articulated response to the design issues of the 21st century. Porches, breezeways and glazed links provide the common space and allow the three shed volumes to frame courtyards and views into the surrounding hardwood forest. The preservation of specimen hardwoods was critical to the placement of the building footprint and the resulting micro climates, along with sophisticated glazing and energy management systems, are integral parts of the building’s sustainable strategy.

The library component adds 13,000 square feet of new collections, lounge and study space to the growing community. A strong sense of community emerges out of the placement of diverse program elements under a single timber roof. The library is suffused with natural light tempered by the forest and the material qualities of wood and stone. The north end of the library looks onto a woodland reading court while its south façade has a presence on the main street among the village’s key civic structures.