South Norwood Library, Public library in South Norwood, United Kingdom.
South Norwood Library is a concrete and glass building that rises over five open-plan floors connected by staircases. Large windows flood each level with natural light and create unobstructed sightlines across the interior spaces.
Borough architect Hugh Lea designed this building in 1968 to replace an earlier library that had stood at the corner of Selhurst Road and Lawrence Road since 1897. The new design represented a shift toward modernist concrete architecture in the area.
A community mosaic created by local children in 2006 sits outside the building, displaying a heritage map of the neighborhood and showing how residents connect with this space.
The building offers separate zones for children's reading, study areas, computer access, and internet services spread across multiple floors. Visitors can navigate the open layout easily and move between levels without difficulty.
Black steel letters in Grotesk typeface spell 'LIBRARY' directly on the concrete facade as part of the building's design language. The lettering demonstrates how the architect integrated typography into the structural concept itself.
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