A Toronto suburb gets a striking new space for the community

Try as we might, society has not yet eradicated the existence of the public library, the last bastion of analogue community activity. Instead, the library framework has gradually adapted to society — an increasingly disconnected society where a world of resources can be accessed from a single gadget.

The Hazel McCallion Central Library in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga is Exhibit A. A 1990s building on a vast and busy intersection, named for the city’s late mayor, it prioritised cubicle workspaces and artificial light within a ‘postmodern’ structure that dated fast. With visitors dwindling and demand skewed toward digital media, the city hired the Toronto practice RDHA to oversee a revitalisation and addition to the original 155,000 sq ft building that improved light and flow and gave the community access to valuable resources they couldn’t find on their phones. The architects responded with a bright, soaring scheme that added 6,000 sq ft and cost just CAD$200 per sq ft overall.

More transparent and more flexible, it now provides quiet spaces for podcasting, 3D printing, copying and crafting, with scope for performance, meditation, and even counselling.

A primary focus was the double atrium through the centre of the building. Initially two separate volumes, the architects connected them, reshaped the faceted roof lights and smoothed out the cylindrical walls with bright white perforated drywall to improve acoustics. These central volumes became show-spaces for hanging artworks like Nathan Whitford’s LED mobile Lightfall, which draws the eye upward to the light. Decluttering the old architectural furniture allows visitors to see clearly across the building from each level. Wide stairwells, lounges, stacks with plenty of armchair seating, semi-private translucent pods allow neighbours to gather, work and shelter from the harsh weather.

In the deep reaches of the upper floors, the team added suites and stations for gaming and VR, private meetings and a teaching kitchen. The very top level, once the library’s least utilised, is devoted to the light-filled Sky Reading Lounge, overlooking the neighbourhood square. It pushes through the original facade with a wall of glass to appear, from the exterior, as if floating.

This and other subtle interventions improve the welcoming presence of the monolithic exterior. The piazza entrance has been brought up to date with new perforated-metal screens and eye-catching signage. And new windows give sneak previews of the functions within — even the theatre.

The community seems to have voted with its feet. Library numbers immediately jumped after the reveal. And the design has become a case study in how to rally a scattered, cloistered population at a time when they most need a reason to leave the house.