The Merri-bek City Council has unveiled the four finalist teams in its design competition for a new library and public piazza in Coburg, located in northern Melbourne. The two-stage design competition, which launched in May, has been coordinated by CityLab and represents a significant step toward revitalizing the central Coburg area.
The competition jury includes several distinguished professionals in architecture and planning. Victorian Government Architect Jill Garner serves as chair, alongside Merri-bek City Council's Director of Community Eamonn Fennessy, Monash University Associate Professor Maryam Gusheh, Jones and Whitehead Director Ron Jones, and Sibling Architecture Director Qianyi Lim.
According to the council's official description, the new Coburg Library will serve as "a place of connection, cultural expression and life-long learning with flexible spaces to read, learn, make and connect." The adjacent piazza is designed to "welcome all to gather, participate, play and rest." The project aims to reflect and respect the indigenous heritage of the land while contributing to environmental regeneration, resilience, and biodiversity. Together, these facilities will embody Coburg's unique identity and form the heart of the local precinct.
The competition process required participants to first submit expressions of interest, during which entrants needed to assemble multidisciplinary teams led by experienced architects. The selected finalist teams then developed concept design responses to the project brief. The four finalist teams are: FJC Studio, TCL and The Indigenuity Lab; Durbach Block Jaggers, Architecture Associates and Openwork; Edition Office, Blaklash, Hassell, Finding Infinity and Kate Rhodes; and Studio Bright, Oculus, Board Grove, Blaklash, Five Mile Radius and Barbara Flynn.
Jury chair Jill Garner praised the selection, stating that "these shortlisted teams are an exciting and diverse mix of experienced and innovative younger practices." She described the project as "an exciting proposition for Coburg." Merri-bek City Council Mayor Helen Davidson emphasized the project's broader significance, explaining that "the library and piazza project is an important first step to revitalizing central Coburg, and we are also currently exploring other ideas to better utilize space in the heart of Coburg."
Mayor Davidson further noted that the design competition "challenges creative minds to launch our innovative vision for a new library and piazza." She explained that by accepting submissions from multiple design teams, the council wants to "ensure we have a design which will best capture what is needed for Coburg, including a design which captures Coburg's neighborhood character."
The ambitious $60 million project will be built on a site currently used as a car park, situated among a collection of churches and retail spaces. The new facility is intended to replace the council's existing library, which will be sold or leased to help partially fund the project. The proposed library will feature 3,000 square meters of floor space dedicated to cultural and community uses, including a cafe, artist studios, and exhibition spaces.
The design also calls for a new 2,000-square-meter piazza that will provide multifunctional space and an increased tree canopy connected to the Upfield rail corridor. The Merri-bek City Council has also indicated the possibility of including basement parking in the final design.
Following endorsement from the Merri-bek City Council, the winning design team is expected to be announced later this year. The draft concept design will then be presented to the public for community feedback in early 2026, ensuring residents have input in the final design of this significant community asset.
