A library that was closed due to health and safety concerns has won a major architectural award after £4m of refurbishments.
The Andrew Carnegie Library in Tuebrook was one of six winners of the RIBA (Royal Institute of British Architects) North West Awards, which recognise architectural excellence. Sometimes known as ‘the old library’, it originally opened in 1905 and was much-loved for over a century until health and safety concerns meant it was closed in 2006.
The Grade II listed building stood empty and abandoned until 2012, falling into disrepair. In 2016 the National Lottery Heritage Fund approved £3.95m for the charity Lister Steps to restore the library.
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Regional Jury Chair Hazel Rounding, said of this year’s award winners: “The North West jury were united in their appreciation and admiration of this year’s Regional Award winners. The standout themes were community benefit and re-use through exceptional and trusting Architect and Client relationships, which ultimately created engaging, rigorous and delightful designs.
“Each scheme contributes significantly to the region in providing sustainable, accessible places for all, important in the gradual evolution of a post-pandemic world. My congratulations to these award-winning projects, which serve as exemplar architectural solutions.”
The library also won the RIBA North West Client of the Year Award. The six projects were chosen by an expert jury, who visited all ten nominated sites.
The remodelling was carried out by OMI architects, with construction beginning in 2019. The original reading room was kept but a new communal space for a café, hot desking and hosting events were added. Liverpool City Council donated £100,000 towards the refurbishments.
The building was the only one in Merseyside to be nominated for the award. The other winners were Lancaster Castle, Pooley New Bridge, the Special Exhibitions Gallery in Manchester’s Science and Industry Museum, The Welcome Building in Salford and The Fratry in Carlisle.
The winner of the 2022 RIBA North West Building of the Year Award will be announced on May 24. The six north west winners will also be nominated for a RIBA national award, to be announced in June.
The library, which is on the corner of Green Lane and Lister Drive, reopened to the public in 2020 and is now a child care and community centre run by Lister Steps.
The original building was designed by celebrated Liverpool architect Thomas Shelmerdine, who also designed Everton Library, Toxteth Library and Wavertree Library.
It featured in the ECHO’s “Stop the Rot” campaign, launched in October 2000, which aimed to rescue and preserve Merseyside’s rich architectural heritage.
