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Frequently Asked Questions
General
When will it open?
We received planning approval in July 2007. Preliminary work is due to commence in Spring 2009, with the building completed in Early 2011.
I use a wheelchair. Will the building be accessible?
The building will fully satisfy the requirements for disabled access; among other features it will house two elevators and have disabled toilets on every floor.
Library services
Will there be somewhere for me to do my homework?
The library will have more than 40 desks for homework study. There will also be regular homework clubs with staff on hand to give extra help.
Won't the performance and music area make the building very noisy?
The performance and music area will be soundproofed.
Will meeting rooms be affordable?
We will look at a system of staggered rates for the community and general use nearer the time of completion.
Will the prices in the café be affordable?
We are considering various options for the management of the café.
The plaza
How will the performance space interact with the plaza?
The performance space will be able to open onto the plaza. This will give the opportunity for events to make use of both the indoor and outdoor space, for example music events, art installations.
What activities have been considered for the plaza?
The plaza has been designed to allow for the potential hosting of a market. There will also be a more formal programme of activity considered for the plaza that will be drawn up ahead of the library opening to make sure it is a safe and welcoming space. Possibilities include music, art events and family activities.
How wide is the path along the basin?
The current proposed promenade to the dock edge consists of a ramped access that is 3.5 m wide and a stepped access of 0.8m width at its narrowest point.
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Current dock edge The proposed amendment would remove this wall and extend the ramp access across the entire width, which would give us a revised width of 4.5m. |
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This would be clear distance (i.e. the distance between the dock balustrades and the edge of the proposed footpath.) This would involve realigning the existing dock capping by lifting the original coping, and reinstalling it to the revised grades. These proposed changes would engage the waterfront and reduce the visual and physical clutter at this important part of the promenade. |
There will also be a new route created through the plaza, which will be up to 50m wide. Both London Underground and the library building will be easily accessible.
The building
Will the building be sustainable?
The building has been designed to maximise energy efficiency. The sloping walls prevent solar gain and glare, the roof skylights provide natural lighting and the green roof creates thermal mass which helps keep it cooler and acts as a noise insulator. This innovative design also means the library will be built to exceed Part L requirements of the Building Regulations (which covers the conservation of fuel and power).
We are also testing various other possibilities to further enhance the building. The building will use a minimum of 10% renewable energy sources, 5% of which will be derived from ground source heat pumps, and 5 % from solar water heating panels.
How will it look?
We are proposing to clad the building in light bronze anodized aluminium sheets. These will be incredibly strong and vandal proof. The sheets will have thin cuts within them which form gaps when stretched. It's proposed that as this sheeting climbs up the building, the sheets will become more stretched, forming progressively larger gaps to create a mesh and water like ripple texture across the façade. The sheeting will be solid at the foot of the building, to prevent people from being able to climb the building or push materials behind it. Similar coloured panels will back the mesh. The inspiration for this came from watching the ripples from the wind on Canada Water Basin.
Canada Water Basin
The building slightly overhangs the water, how does this affect the ecology of the basin?
The building will over hang the basin by 6.2m from the basin edge. We have conducted initial surveys of the potential impact as well as consulted with waterways officers and interest groups. The overhang will have minimal negative impact on the ecology of the water.
What impact will any potential light reflecting onto the water have?
We have conducted surveys of the potential impact as well as consulted with waterways officers and interest groups. Any potential impact will be of no consequence to the basin ecology given the large volume of water present. Detailed design will consider the most appropriate lighting approach to provide both a safely lit environment along the promenade without impacting or affecting adjacent ecology or habitat.
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