Canada Water Super-Library

A trendy new super library for the Docklands.

Location: 21 Surrey Quays Road, Rotherhithe, SE16 7AR

Description: Overhanging Canada Water basin, this spectacular 14.1 million building is the first library in the capital to have a purpose-built 150-seat theatre. In the light of library's closing around the country, Canada Water Library is set to buck the trend with 40,000 books, a caf, meeting rooms, evening class space and wi-fi facilities. It will even be the first to lead directly into a Tube station.

Designed by Piers Gough, partner at CZWG Architects, the new Canada Water Library is a dramatically inverted pyramid that partly overhangs the Canada Water Basin. It opened Monday 28 November 2011.

The building is clad in aluminium sheets that are anodised in a light bronze with sequined perforations, giving it sculptural appeal and striking visual effects. The library also has excellent green credentials, with a ground source heat pump and a green sedum roof. All this is designed to chime with the buildings position, overlooking an old timber dock.

Tours: Weird photo ops

Tours: New London Architecture 2012

Themes: Literary Literary Theme