Tampines Regional Library is a truly integrated and inclusive community destination; a manifestation of the cohesive design strategy behind Our Tampines Hub – Singapore’s pioneering and largest integrated community, sports and lifestyle hub.

Managed by the National Library Board, the library includes one culinary studio and a dining studio – both of which are co-located as places of learning. The studios, which are independently managed by the nearby community centre, were designed to showcase the activities within, forming a point of interest not typically seen in libraries, encouraging participation across different user groups.

The varied nature of the programmes required not only an innovative layout but also special attention in design to mitigate their intrinsically different requirements. One example is how the library’s adjacency to the Town Square and sports pitch capitalises on strategically-crafted views.

Being a public space meant for users of all ages, the interior design of the library intentionally plays upon thematic design elements and differentiates materials to create distinct environments that maximise the sense of ownership and comfort. Interstitial spaces – large programmatic stairs and green niches – act as thresholds between the different age group themes, creating shared spaces for alternative reading environments or spontaneous social and group-learning interactions.

Photos courtesy of StudioPeriphery