State Library And Archives Of Tasmania

Architect: Public Works Department / John F. D. Scarborough and Associates (1960, 1972), LIMINAL Studio (2024)

Modernism for the Public

What does a library look like when it embraces the architecture of the future?

Step inside the State Library and Archives of Tasmania and discover a remarkable piece of Hobart’s mid-century modernist story, where sleek glass, concrete and open space meet some of Tasmania’s most important collections.

Completed in 1960, the original State Library building introduced a new architectural language to Hobart. Its façade is recognised as the earliest example of a Modernist glass curtain wall in the city and was the first major concrete-frame and curtain-wall building in Hobart.

Look closely at the original building and you’ll see the hallmarks of mid-century modernism. The four-level building is lifted on pilotis, creating an open ground level, while the recessed entrance and expansive glazed façade give the building a lightness that contrasts with the more solid architecture surrounding it.

Next door, the story changes dramatically. The striking Brutalist Stack building, completed in 1972, houses the State Archives and forms a powerful architectural counterpart to the original library. Together, the two buildings create an intriguing conversation between different strands of post-war modernism.

The buildings have recently entered another chapter, with LIMINAL Studio leading contemporary adaptation and renewal works in 2024, carefully responding to the architectural character of the existing buildings while supporting their continuing public use.

And there is plenty to discover inside. Explore the Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts, home to a nationally significant collection of Tasmanian colonial art, books, objects and furniture, and discover the stories preserved within these modernist walls.

Then head to the Stack and take in one of Hobart’s great city views.

Come and have a look, explore the architecture, discover what is held inside and see how a mid-century vision for a public library continues to serve Hobart today.

Tour: Sat 7 & Sun 8 Nov, 10.00am – 11.00am (bookings required)