Lismore City Library

Located within the Quad precinct, the Lismore City Library occupies the original site of Lismore High School, adjacent to the neighbouring Northern Rivers Conservatorium of Music and Lismore Regional Gallery. The 2022 Lismore floods significantly impacted the century-old, interwar red-brick building.

Bennett Constructions engaged BKA Architecture to design and document the remedial, restoration, and upgrade works. The essential works to the three-storey building cost $5.6 million, which was funded by the New South Wales and Federal governments, as well as Lismore City Council.

By closely collaborating with library staff, the Council, and Bennett Constructions, BKA aimed to deliver a carefully considered refurbishment of Lismore City Library, thereby returning the asset to the community in better condition than it was before the flood.

Remedial works involved repairing the broken foundation and removing moisture from the flooded bricks. The building’s structural integrity and resilience against flooding have been strengthened through the selective use of flood-resilient materials applied to the ground level, construction systems, and building services relocated to the upper levels.

The library has also been upgraded to meet contemporary standards by optimising the layout, incorporating mobile furnishings for adaptable arrangements, and enhancing accessibility. A key feature of the design was the management plan, which considered how books and loose furnishings could be relocated to the top floor of the building in the event of a flood.

BKA and the stakeholders developed several bespoke items, including a hardwood ‘tree’ for the children’s area, custom joinery, new signage and wayfinding, and art concepts for local artists to bring to life—a symbolic response to the floods that enhances the library experience.