Location: Carnegie Victoria Owner: City of Glen Eira Architect: Perrott Lyon Mathieson Builder: JA Dodd Bricklayer: McGaw Bricklayers Austral Bricks products: • Elements Series Zinc • Sandstone Series Sorrento   NOVEMBER 2006

Carnegie Library was one of the first projects to use Zinc bricks from Austral Bricks Elements Series, semi-glazed bricks with a glossy black body finished in a reflective silver.

The complex is sandwiched behind shops in a busy strip shopping centre, requiring the main entry to be approached from the west by a short pedestrian mall. The elevation facing the shop rears posed a challenge to light and views without compromising wall space. The solution was a series of blade-like brick walls, separated by narrow, north-facing windows.

The eastern elevation faces a residential zone. It is brick clad at street level, and strongly modulated to reduce its visual impact. Off-white brick squares dot the facade and light-coloured aluminium-cladding on the upper level is stepped back, again to reduce impact.

The unique finish of the Elements Zinc bricks make a striking addition to the streetscape, without compromising or overwhelming neighbouring commercial and residential buildings. The backs of adjacent shops were heavily graffitied, prompting a precautionary application of an anti-graffiti coating. However the brickwork has remained untouched, reinforcing the concept that good design and finish build respect.

Since its opening a little over a year ago, the complex has received overwhelming community acceptance with a customer base of 40 percent of the municipality.