When you ask faculty, students or staff what images come to mind when they think about ‘Western University,’ odds are it likely involves some combination of ivy-covered stone, gothic buildings and the straight angles and minimalist architecture of spaces like Weldon Library.
While it might seem like those kinds of spaces and styles are at odds with each other aesthetically, that’s about to change! Weldon Library has now begun a massive renovation to transform our space into a contemporary academic library.
The origins of this project can be traced back to 2017 when we completed a Space Master Plan to solidify a vison and strategy for the future of Western Libraries. We collaborated with staff, faculty, and students to learn what’s most important about our space and services. What we learned is that students and faculty want more varied learning and study spaces, more natural light, more technology-enabled spaces, and more inspiring places to learn, collaborate, and do research. With the help of Perkins+Will, our architectural friends, we reimagined a variety of spaces to serve as a roadmap for future projects. These included a Learning Commons, a digital scholarship center, and dedicated graduate student space in Weldon.
In 2018, we got one step closer to our vision for Weldon with the university’s commitment of $15 million dollars towards renovations. Perkins+Will were officially chosen to help design and revitalize our new spaces and a Project Oversight Team was struck to help facilitate cross-campus collaboration and information sharing.
Over the next several months the oversight team will begin to engage with students, faculty, and staff from all parts of campus. Stay tuned for more updates as we get going on our feedback consultations!