Munro development – narrm ngarrgu Library and Family Services

narrm ngarrgu Library & Family Services is a cornerstone of Melbourne’s Queen Victoria Market precinct renewal and the heart of the Munro development.

The first library to open in the City of Melbourne in nearly a decade reflects design principles centred on First Nations engagement and community involvement.

Over three levels, the library blends art gallery, makerspace and community services and caters to diverse community needs, offering inclusive, creative services such as sound studios, 3D printers, laser cutters, and family support services. The building also includes a light-filled reading and event room to host civic events or serve as a quiet place to study while overlooking the market. Responding to post-COVID needs, a diverse range of spaces and seating options, provide an extension to inner city apartment living and room for creative exploration and play.

The design is rooted in community consultation, featuring traditional Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung language integration, celebrating Kulin art and culture. This is reflected in the naming of spaces, like 'narrm ngarggu,' (Melbourne Knowledge), the terrace 'wurru wurru,' (sky), or the reading room 'bugungga,' (to gather), and visitors learning about the five clans of the Kulin Nations and the seven seasons through artworks and designs by Indigenous Artist Maree Clarke. They can be seen in the foyer’s lightboxes on the carpets, the passageway leading into the children’s library and on the 960m2 outdoor terrace as a traditionally cast ceremonial coolamon and a 6-metre-long eel trap playground artwork surrounded by native planting.

The project achieves 5-star Greenstar and Well sustainability ratings. Costing approximately $55m, the Munro development exemplifies effective collaboration, community engagement, and sustainable design.

Awards:
AIA Victorian Architecture Awards, Winner, Public Architecture, 2024
Munro Site - Queen Victoria Market Precinct (w/ Bates Smart), AIA Victorian Architecture Awards, Commendation, Urban Design, 2024
Melbourne Awards, City Design, Finalist 2024