The recently restored Andrew Carnegie library in Tuebrook has been nominated for a major architecture award.
Closed in 2006 due to health and safety concerns, the grade II listed building reopened as The Old Library in 2020 and now operates as a child care and community facility run by charity Lister Steps.
The restoration, which consisted of a complete refurbishment and remodelling designed by OMI architects, has now been shortlisted for the award.
READ MORE: Work starts in bid to save iconic 'jewel on the hill'
The Royal Institute of British Architects North West architecture awards features 10 projects from across the region.
The Old Library is the only Merseyside nomination with five projects in Greater Manchester featuring on the shortlist.
The restoration has preserved one of the original reading rooms while introducing new communal space for a cafe, hot desking and hosting events within the venue.
Work started on the Andrew Carnegie library in 1903 and was designed by celebrated Liverpool architect Thomas Sherdermine - who also designed Everton Library, Toxteth Library and Wavertree library.
The library was opened in 1905 and was funded by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, with the library bearing his name.
The building served as a library for 100 years before closure in 2006 as a result of dilapidation and health and safety fears.
It was among those featured in the ECHO’s Stop the Rot campaign, first launched in October 2000 with the aim of rescuing and preserving the rich architectural heritage of the city and the greater Merseyside area.
The library was abandoned and fell into a greater state of disrepair until 2012 when Lister Steps started a campaign to save the building from further damage.
Liverpool City Council funded £100,000 of remediation works to secure the structure with a further £3.95m of funding provided in 2016 by National Lottery Heritage fund to enable OMI architects to achieve their vision.
Construction officially began on the building in 2019 and The Old Library reopened to the public in September 2020.
RIBA North West Jury Chair, Hazel Rounding said: “The 10 projects shortlisted in the North West this year represent a wide range of typologies and geographic coverage. The quality of the schemes submitted by a variety of exceptional architects stimulated some interesting debate amongst the panel.
“It is however the integrated ability to embrace environmental consciousness no matter what the scale, budget or timing of design that ties the shortlist together and endorses their contribution to region, community and profession.”
All shortlisted projects will be assessed by a regional jury with the winning projects announced later this Spring.
