To accompany our latest film [see below] about the library makeover this blog gives a bit more detail about the options that we have for the small spaces within the library.

Getting views first changes to Maindee Library

Our architects Sarah and George have looked at different options for the small spaces at the library. Their thinking centres on what people have told us from the questionnaire: a need for better toilet facilities and an attractive meeting space. We now have two main options.

With both options we move the toilets away from their current location at the back of the space and towards the middle. We can therefore make the most of the natural light which comes from the street [via a new opening off the lobby] and light to the rear by creating a new window at the back. 

A key feature of both the options is that they enable these Small Spaces to be rented out independent of the main library space, without compromising privacy [such as for the Road to Wellbeing sessions on Wednesday evenings] or security of the PCs and so on. 

Option A

The main features of this option are the following:

+ Generous private meeting room with new window in north wall.
+ Accessible WC with baby changing.
+ Store cupboard - in future the space could be converted into a second WC.
+ Generous kitchen base area - could store a Mobile Cafe Unit which comes into main space.
+ Kitchen door openings directly to both main space and entrance lobby off Chepstow Road - at least one of these could be a stable door to the main space or to create easy service to street - especially in summer months
+ Opening from lobby to kitchen to be glazed to give borrowed natural light & visual connection
+ Kitchen layout enables a future partition (running north to south) if it becomes necessary to separate it from a circulation route
+ Craft sink to main space

Option B

This option differs to the first mostly by the addition of a small staff / store room and a smaller meeting room in location of current one. The meeting room could be more generous if store or second WC is not included

The main features of this option are:

+ Meeting room door (glazed) opening directly to entrance lobby
+ Borrowed natural light & visual connection
+ Layout enables these ‘Small Spaces’ to be rented out independent of the main library space, without compromising security of PCs, art work, book collection etc.
+ Accessible WC with baby change
+ Addition of staff / storage room (if long & thin) + with possibility of natural light & view from new window + Kitchen with possibility of natural light & view from new window Cons - Difficult for kitchen to serve street - Kitchen servery to main space would require new structural opening - Meeting room, kitchen & staff / storage room are all limited in size

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