Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00148:reg:2017:p72
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2019L00148
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 2017 (pt 72/81)
Character Range: 290428–293225

They were commissioned by the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) and installed in 1967. The inspiration for the work was the planets, to fit in with the overall theme of the foyer which represents the classical elements of water, earth and sky. The Library is the largest in Australia and is an important National cultural institution.

Physical description

The National Library is a prominent feature of the Parliamentary Triangle. This large rectangular building sits on a podium on the western side of the Triangle near the edge of Lake Burley Griffin. It features in views of the Triangle from the Commonwealth Avenue approach and generally in views from the northern shore of the Lake. The approach to the entry of the Library is marked by a paved area with a pond and fountain, all of which is flanked by poplars. The building is marble clad, colonnaded, rectangular in plan and has similarities to the design of the Parthenon in Greece. The podium is clad in rock faced grey trachyte in contrast to the light marble of the building above. The podium contains two basements and the building above has five storeys. The building has a low pitched metal roof. There are forty tonnes of copper in the Library's rook , and the building's exterior is clad with marble, granite, bronze, slate and copper, while its interior has fine Australian timber finishes.

The building is in the Late Twentieth Century Stripped Classical style. Key features of this style displayed by the building include the symmetrical facade treatment, horizontal skyline, regular bays of vertical proportion, colonnade, use of columns without bases or capitals, and the use of a broad horizontal member at the roofline echoing classical entablature.

The National Library building provides a range of facilities including storage areas and reading rooms for a wide range of materials which comprise the Library's collection, a visitor centre, catalogue areas, exhibition spaces, a theatrette, offices, a shop and eating facilities.

The building features a large horizontal copper sculpture by Tom Bass over the public entrance to the Library. The beaten copper bas-relief entrance sculpture represents in cuneiform the words 'ark', 'sun' and 'tree'. In the grounds of the Library is the Henry Moore sculpture Two Piece Reclining Figure Number 9. The stained glass windows are decorative features within the entrance lobby of the Library. There are sixteen windows in total, six pairs of windows and four single windows made from Saint Gobain dalle de verre glass. These 50mm thick glass pieces are each cut to maximise light refraction. Every panel comprises four sections with the dominant images of crosses, stars and mandalas. The panels range through the colours of the spectrum, with blue representing