ATOMMM

ARC404-ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION
CONNEMARA PUBLIC LIBRARY

submitted by,
G. Nidhish -RA1511201010052
Karthik. -Ra1511204010035
Syed. - RA1511201010032
HERITAGE IMPORTANCE OF CHENNAI
• Chennai is stated to be an important contributor towards
administrative, military, and economic centre since the 1st
century. The Pallava, the Chola, the Pandya, and Vijaynagar
the noticeable dynasties ruled over Chennai.
• Madras, acquired its name from Madraspattinam which is a
fishing village situated to the north of Fort St. George. There
are various versions related to the origin of the name Madras.
• Chennai architecture is a confluence of many architectural styles.
From ancient Dravidian temples built by the Pallavas, to the Indo-
Saracenic style (pioneered in Madras) of the colonial era which
continued to 20th-century steel and chrome of skyscrapers. Chennai
has a colonial core in the port area, surrounded by progressively newer
areas as one travels away from the port, punctuated with old temples
, churches and mosques in the 16th century.
HISTORY OF CONNEMARA LIBRARY
• Connemara Public Library at Chennai
was established by the then Governor of
Madras, Lord Connemara, on 22 March
1890.
• This library was conceived on the lines of
the British Museum Library. It was
declared as one of the four National
Depository Libraries under the Delivery
of Books and Newspaper
• The Library is part of a larger cultural
complex which boasts of buildings that
reflect elements from various stages of
Indo-Saracenic development, from
Gothic-Byzantine to Rajput ,Mughaland
Southern Hindu Deccani.
NEW OLD
NEW OLD
NEW OLD
The design is not very user friendly, as marked by the lack of any other facilities (parking, eateries, ramps, lefts etc), use of artificial
lightning even during day.
KID’S AREA
Library design has emphasized its public nature, with imposing entrances (for ACL and the old building of Connemara), high ceilings
and domed roofs and becoming a landmark in the area they are located in. The seating arrangement has no secluded or isolated place.
It is meant to foster discussions and provide equal space to everyone using the Library. This public space is not very prominent in IIT
Madras Central Library.
22
CHALLENGES FACED
The design attempts to tackle two principle challenges of rapidly changing demographics as well as staying relevant in the age of easy
availability of information.
Old Library Design (DAMAGES CAUSED) New Library Design
Needs of disabled peopleunmet Good disabilityaccess

Domes and Rotunda Atriums
Galleries and Mezzanines Escalators andlifts
Artificial Lightning Atrium light, natural light maximized
Restrictedaccess OpenAccess
Bookshelves requiringladders Bookshelves at humanscale
Temple of knowledge for Public Read with ‘living room’leisure’
Institutional furniture Domestic or clubfurniture
Library onlybuilding Providesmanymorepublicspacesthanjusta
library
Individual studycarrels Seminar rooms and computersuites

Isolatedspace Networkedspace
Childfree Childfriendly
Little care given toEnvironment Design has Environment Friendlyfeatures
Functional Design with Elements ofTradition Modern FreeDesign
Rule ofSilence Mutual Respect and TechnologicalSurveillance
All these changes have been done for the people for whom the library service is
intended (along with library staff), the category and variety of services provided, the
institution/ partners of the library and the place of the library itself (along with the
spaces it offers to meet its designated program most efficiently and effectively).
CURRENT SCENARIO
• Chennai’s urban population is made up of business professionals who travel a lot, workers from other states, large student
population and a newly educated generation. These groups have little time left from their daily schedules for spending time reading.
• So a library should offer much more than the traditional services. It should become a place to stay in touch with colleagues, friends,
a kind of meeting place, where people can call in on a daily basis (as with an internet cafe to send and pick up theiremails).
• Unlike traditional libraries which had a ‘temple of learning’ hallowed ambience, the new library has been designed as a ‘living room
away from home
• The library is being de-institutionalized,and becoming more like a club
• It is also called as leisure centre. ‘The living room in the city’ or even ‘reading club’ of a modern city. Interior design and
furnishing can help create a more domestic, club-like sense of membership and belonging: a home from home.
INFERENCE
•Thus we can see that libraries are slowly changing to provide more user friendly
services as reading changes from a hallowed status to a leisurely activity and new
categories of users displace old patrons.
• These functions have to ensure time flexibility in use (from checking in to return a
book to spending a whole day studying), ensuring that the spaces for special functions
auditorium, food court, kids section seminar room etc do not conflict in terms of noise
and activity, with space allocated for studying and browsing.
•They are also providing dedicated space for children’s services which is engaging.
They are also ensuring that the needs of different groups of users – the elderly, school
parties, students – are respected.
•They are changing to adapt to the new social scenario and technologies but yet at the
same time trying hard to maintain the individuality of their buildings and their
primarymandate.

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ARC404-ARCHITECTURAL CONSERVATION

CONNEMARA PUBLIC LIBRARY

Needs of disabled peopleunmet Good disabilityaccess

Individual studycarrels Seminar rooms and computersuites

• The library is being de-institutionalized,and becoming more like a club

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