RELATION BETWEEN LOCATION, ARCHITECTURAL SPACE AND ARRANGEMENT OF PROGRAMME IN PUBLIC LIBRARY ‘IDEA STORE’ IN LONDON

Abstract

 According to authors' paper of “Relation Between Urban Planning and Reorganization of Public Library ‘Idea Store’ in London, corresponding to the Local Problems and Needs”, it is confirmed that Tower Hamlets (TH) Council renewed local libraries not only according to the policies relating to the public library services, but also according to the policies relating to the London's urban planning and Tower Hamlets' community plan. And it is because of this cooperation between reorganization of public libraries and urban planning, that Idea Store (IS) can correspond to the TH's local problems and needs. Continually, this paper aims to clarify the relation between location, architectural space and arrangement of programme in IS by following three steps.

 The first step is to analyze the location of every IS and features of Wards which they locate in to make clear of the quality of area that IS serve. Even health and employment are two serious problem in TH, but there is also significant inequalities within each IS's surrounding environment. Clearly, the central area in TH has most serious problem of health and employment where ISW and ISCS locate. This explains the difference of learning courses in each IS. Also, ISs locate close to the local markets and subway stations to seduce people's visit combining other daily activities, particularly shopping. Moreover, ISs effort to cooperate with primary schools locating in the town centres in TH.

 The second step is to analyze the sites and architecture space of every ISs including exterior and interior space. Five ISs are all close to the shopping centres and local markets. Except for ISB, the renovated library, they all have colorful and popular facades just like shop, easily accessible by those who are even not familiar with educational facility such as traditional library. On the other hand, regarding interior space, there are several specific rooms equipped in IS which is rare in normal library. Those are Learning Lab, Children's Library, One Stop Shop and Café. Also, reading room in IS usually face to the street and street market, allowing people to speak and talk free. In the meanwhile, learning lab and children's library are placed as relatively quiet spaces facing residential area. All over, each IS has different spatial scale and providing programme, relating to different location and surrounding environment of each Idea Store.

 The third step is to analyze the learning courses and activities of every IS to clarify the relation between location, architectural space and arrangement of programme. IS considered the importance of improve TH's employability by learning course since Idea Store Strategy 1999, A library and Life Long Learning Development Strategy for Tower Hamlets, and health support since Idea Store Strategy 2009. Recently IS even effort to deliver supportive programme for children. In 2014-2015, every IS holds children's activities every week. On the other hand, employment and health learning courses has become mainly offered in ISW, the biggest IS as anchor IS, while other satellite ISs' offer becoming less.

 In conclusion, different quality of surrounding area characterized different architectural space and programme in each IS. Regarding architectural spaces, ISs are designed as popular as shops to welcome the visit by everybody. Especially, make reading space as active area while learning rooms and children's library as quiet area. Regarding programme, IS enhanced local employment and health problem by offering learning courses in library. In meanwhile, ISW is offering most fulfilled programme as anchor IS. This all explains the relation between location, architectural space and arrangement of programme in IS.