McBride Charles Ryan, Brownless Biomedical Library

The Biomedical Library at Melbourne University was built in 1960.  A spiral staircase linking the three floors was the only element interrupting the monotony of a rectangular floor plan in a grey building offering no particular stimuli.

McBride Charles Ryan?s architects designed a new study space on the basis of students? real needs.
A group of more than 20 stakeholders in the university got together to discuss the design and work in close contact with the architects.

The result is a new library with flexible spaces including reading rooms as well as soundproofed study areas, group work spaces, a cafeteria, etc.

The existing staircase and the colour red, chosen for its associations with the field of medicine, provided the inspiration for the shapes and colours used in the interior design. Sinuous shapes and bright colours contrast with the rigidity of the building?s original floor plan and are reflected in the panels of the false ceiling.


(Agnese Bifulco)


Design: Rob McBride, Debbie-Lyn Ryan, (team) Michelle James, Drew Williamson, David Neustein, Angela Woda, Natasha Maben, Benedikt
Josef, Marie Chen.
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Illustrations: courtesy of  McBride Charles Ryan

www.mcbridecharlesryan.com.au