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Summary

Description

Sir Frank Mears and Partners, 1969-1971. Single and 2-storey, roughly octagonal plan, Late Modern public library, partially sunk below Church Street (to W) with small hall incorporated to NE of plan on ground sloping to E. Rendered brick. Flush, plain concrete eaves course. 3 projecting box windows to NW flanking glazed entrance doors to left. Partially glazed conical roof to centre of plan; low pitched continuous horizontal glazing surrounding building at edge of roof. Double metal doors with glazed panel to far left at ground to SE (entrance to hall); continuous stepped horizontal metal framed glazing cantilevered above. Irregular openings to NW with stepped entrance. Interior: of Scandinavian style. Boarded timber cladding between deep vertical roof beams to conical roof above loans desk. Recessed rectangular seating areas to NW of plan; librarian's office to SW with tall timber and glazed partition with decorative octagonal timber panels to lower section. Timber book stacks to E of plan. Pine detailing throughout. Hall with plain plaster walls, concrete flooring and kitchen facility.

Statement of Special Interest

A good Late Modern public building with a well-designed interior of Scandinavian expression. The interior of the library is unaltered in plan and is entirely delineated in octagonal form. The small hall (named Johnston Hall) has the capacity to hold 40 people; however, it is currently used infrequently (2003). Sir Frank Mears and Partners (under the direction of R J Naismith) was responsible for much of the modern urban architecture of the burgh, including the Civic Centre (1960) in Queen Street, tenements at 9-21 Townhall Street (see separate listing) and the innovative social housing estates at Roods and Deas Road (1960s). The library was built at the same date as Inverkeithing High School (1968-1973 - see separate listing) which also demonstrates a strident move towards stylish, contemporary design for a local public building.

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