‘Literary Carpet’ of granite paving
Austin Smith-Lord’s 50 million–pound Liverpool Central Library project opened in May 2013 after a three–year complete overhaul. The scheme, in a World Heritage Site, involved the restoration of grade I listed elements as well as the insertion of a new building behind a historic facade. It was funded by PFI. The six-storey new building is arranged around a full-height atrium crowned with a glazed dome and roof terrace.
Materials used
Hardscape produced and supplied the Artscape ‘Literary Carpet’ hard landscaping outside the main entrance and inside the atrium area with Crystal Black, Kobra and Royal White granite paving (including the granite walling outside) and Woodkirk sandstone paving around the entrance.
In November 2014 Austin-Smith:Lord won the Highly Commended award in the Design for Small Scale Public Realm category at the Landscape Institute Awards held at the Bloomsbury Big Top in London.
