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Jesmond Library
This Grade II listed library was FaulknerBrowns’ first commission, and earned the firm a reputation for innovative library design.
Summary
Public library
Location
Newcastle upon Tyne, England
Client
Newcastle City Council
Size
18,000 books
Completion
1963
Jesmond library newcastle upon tyne book shelves arranged in a circle colour 10x11
Vision
Briefed by the city of Nottingham in 1960, FaulknerBrowns sought to reimagine the modern library. The space is open, inviting visitors to wile away hours browsing this ‘supermarket for books’. Harry Faulkner-Brown’s modernist, drum shaped design was the antidote to daunting Victorian models and remains an important part of Jesmond’s community 60 years later.
Jesmond library newcastle upon tyne historic external photograph g
Jesmond library newcastle upon tyne historic photo of bookshelves g
Form following function

With 18,000 books to be housed on a small but prominent site, the redesign needed to address size constraints in a thoughtful way. Simply wrapping the external walls with shelves would not have provided enough storage, but FaulknerBrowns’ solution, the saw-tooth facade, allowed bookshelves to be placed at an angle around the perimeter, maximising space and adding visual dimension. The glazing in between shelves maximises natural light, helping to make the space airy and welcoming.

Jesmond library newcastle upon tyne historic ground floor plan
“The combination of this wall form…and natural lighting…is not merely an ingenuity; it makes the nature and functioning of the building perfectly clear in a manner that is rare in library-building.”
Architectural Review, 1964
Jesmond library newcastle upon tyne librarian standing by window 3x2
Jesmond library newcastle upon tyne historic photographic looking into library g
FaulknerBrowns’ Ten Commandments

Acclaim for FaulknerBrowns’ reimagining of Jesmond Library led to many more community and university commissions. The firm’s ingenuity became a blueprint for rethinking academic spaces with the people that use them front of mind. With that, Harry Faulkner Brown created the Ten Commandments of library design:

Flexible
Compact
Accessible
Extendible
Varied
Organised
Comfortable
Constant in environment
Secure
Economic

These pioneering principles became a framework for library design globally, and continue to inspire our development of the typology.

Jesmond library newcastle upon tyne man walking past building 3x4
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Jesmond library newcastle upon tyne model on display at exhibition 16x9

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