The Hagersville Library+Active Living Centre

Client

Haldimand County

• A new model small community hub with library, ‘active living centre’ (Multi-purpose rooms like a gym that do not look like a school gym since it will be used for weddings, political meetings, public events, as well as the active recreation activities).

• The setting is amazing, set on the edge of a huge quarry that is part public recreation park with lake and part active gravel quarry.

• The building is designed to get panoramic corner windows over the quarry from all the main rooms.

• The building form is a town-scaled cluster of sloping roof elements, inspired by local agricultural sheds and barns, with the larger walls heavily glazed to maximize the quarry views and daylight. The dramatic design of angled, shard-like forms and Escarpment stone is intended to make the building appear to be rising from the quarry rim. Generous windows and skylights connect to the view and bring in ample daylight.

• The ‘gym’ (ALC) design and finishes are more polished than an utilitarian gym, with a two storey wall of glass overlooking the quarry, a wood roof and walls, acoustic panel walls, a tunable lighting system and a white noise system. A feature seating nook projects out over the quarry. It is supported by a commercial kitchen, bar and storage spaces.

• The library has a large dramatically sloping wood ceiling ending at a two storey wall of glass also overlooking the quarry. A dedicated Youth area is divided from the library by a dynamic wood display unit. A hidden gem at the end of the library, accessed thru a decorative, brightly coloured entrance portal is a Children’s Library. Featuring several reading nooks and window seats, this is a comfortable, fun place for children that is child-scaled. A surprise element is a hidden stair to a small loft space lined with varied windows, another place to read and learn with a whimsical balcony cantilevered out into the main library space. The Children’s Library has bold, bright colours and a custom mural incorporating fun light fixtures and birdhouses made by various artists, and generous wood finishes for warmth.

• I realized during the concept phase back in 2019 that an essential program element was missing: a connector or hub space for the facility, a place to linger and relax. So a glassy Atrium space was added as an elegant but comfortable ‘Community Living Room’, which is also an activity room and pre and post-event space supporting both main facility functions. It is lined with varied display cases programmed by County Museum staff to showcase local stories and art, and movable display islands. Intended to bring the world to Hagersville, a focal fireplace clad in Afghan Onyx that looks like the quarry veining is a feature. The flooring is Italian travertine and with a wood ceiling creates a civic gravitus for the community. A small exterior terrace projects out on the quarry hillside is reached by a small bridge. The modest entrance plaza offers a shaded outdoor gathering place while emphasizing the entrance. A café  and staff desk are amenities in the Atrium, and it has varied lounge and activity furniture supporting multiple uses.

• The exterior is clad in Wiarton Escarpment limestone to match the adjacent quarry, and is laid with only the horizontal joints tooled to reinforce the horizontal lines of the quarry. The simple metal siding above evokes local barns and the County’s ethos of frugality. Generous windows allow daylighting and capitalize on the powerful views.

• A key design goal was to bring the world to Hagersville to touch and inspire residents in some small, simple but impactful ways: The lobby floor is travertine from Italy, the fireplace is Onyx from Turkey, light fixtures are from Spain, India, Israel and the Atrium crystal-look and birch bark pendants are artist-made ones from Vancouver. The very unique Children’s Librarymural is by Hamilton artists Vermillion Sands.

• The lobby floor has an inlay of black accent stone tile (in asphalt runway black tile) that reflects the Hagersville community geometry of highway and angled railways, and is also in the shape of the Hagersville No. 16 Service Flying Training School RCAF airport that trained 1,783 Commonwealth pilots for World War 2 service (16 died during training), and that remained a base until 1964, an important chapter in local history. The floor inlay subtly leads visitors to each of the 3 main spaces in the facility.

• The main entrance is defined by a welcoming small entrance piazza with a covered walkway to lead you to the building, and to soften the building. Service and support spaces are away from the prime views.

• Signature design elements by the architects include rich tiles, finishes and light fixtures, an attention to design detail, including a broad palette of bold colours to enliven the building and create unique character for the community.

• Raw steel elements reference the nearby Nanticoke STELCO steel plant, and is used on the fireplace legs, bench supports, handrails etc..

• The wood used on the interior is mostly simple, economical Birch, a very common Ontario and Haldimand wood.