Portrayed on television commercials as a hot tub of suburban bliss and golden, everlasting, afternoons Caroline Springs is a surprising locale to discover architecture for the body and mind.  Founded on basalt plains 20 kms to Melbourne’s west, it’s a suburb that has come a long way in a short time – from bedrock and thistle to Arcadian fields.    

Its new library and civic centre is an indication of why the place has surged. Suters Prior Cheney Architects and a potentially chaotic client group of nine, have delivered a knockout result. The library’s richly detailed, jewel-like glazing features and a masterful play of scale and volume provide an intriguing narrative.   

All the performance glass used in the project was supplied by Viridian .  

Glazing specifications:  

  • East elevation: Pre-cast hexagonal panels – 13.52mm white translucent Low E laminate. Also 26.52mm white translucent Low E laminated toughened. Coloured interlayer.  
  • Building perimeter at ground level - all framing was glazed in 6mm Grey Eclipse Advantage toughened and 6mm clear toughened as the inner lining in a double glazed unit.  
  • North elevation: 13.52mm Laminated toughened Topsol Priva Blue and 13.52 mm combined with Vanceva Sapphire Blue cranked glazing. Bolted to steel structure via spider fittings.  
  • South elevation: 13.52mm Vanceva Sapphire Blue. 13.52 Stop Sol Grey toughened and laminated. And 13.52 Vanceva Evening Shadow toughened and laminated. Bolted onto steel frame with spider fittings.  
  • Automatic sliding doors: 13.52 Vanceva evening shadow toughened and laminated  
  • Front entry doors: 12mm clear toughened.  
  • Hexagonal panels weigh nearly 400kg and required power suction lifting equipment.  
  • Clerestory: 6mm Grey Eclipse Advantage.