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Gosford Library Youth Hub

Regional Youth Support Services

Architecture
Codesign

After the closure of their highly successful 'Parkside' Youth Service Centre, Regional Youth Support Services (RYSS) have been searching for a suitable site to develop a new youth centre serving at-risk youth on the Central Coast.

At the same time, Central Coast Council announced that the Gosford Library building, located in the heart of Gosford CBD, will be demolished once the new Central Coast Regional Library is complete.

There is also strong community support to retain the Library building in its current form as it is well loved by the local community, has been nominate for local heritage listing.

RYSS identified that the Library building would be a very great location to convert into a youth centre to continue serving the local community, & for RYSS to implement their new, innovative 'Youth Hub' model developed from their learnings operating Parkside for 20 years.

VIGILANTI was engaged by RYSS to help realise their vision with an architectural design collaboratively developed with the RYSS team, local community members & youth of the Central Coast.

Codesign

Youth people connected to RYSS, RYSS staff, & local residents were directly engaged with in developing the design to ensure it met as wide a range of local needs as possible.

Feedback from codesign activities were translated directly into the proposed design for the Youth Hub to ensure it met the needs of local youth & the wider community.

Learnings from the codesign activities were also used to develop a Design Guide, to guide the design & development of future youth hubs for RYSS & other youth services providers.

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We planned & facilitated number of public & private codesign activities to engage with stakeholder groups, including:

  • RYSS Staff Workshop
  • Public Stall #1 - RYSS Peninsula Youth Kiosk
  • Public Stall #2 - Kibble Park
  • Public Stall #3 - Central Coast Comic-con
  • Survey - distributed physically at RYSS offices & digital through social media
  • Postcards - explaining each proposed space for comment to be mailed into RYSS
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Architecture

VIGILANTI was engaged by RYSS to develop a concept design & adaptive re-use strategy to convert the existing library building into a new, innovative Youth Hub.

Further consultation with local community groups by RYSS showed strong community support to retain & adapt the building for continued community use, & to restore the heritage fabric as part of the conversion.

The final design was strongly supported by the RYSS team & wider community, & paints a clear vision of the historic Gosford Library sensitively adapted into a safe space for youth & a facility that actively serves the community.

The renovated Library building will be sensitively adapted to provide a wide range of community uses, including:

Lower Ground Floor

  • Hospitality Lab & Pop-Up Servery will provide on the job hospitality training & experience for local youth, serve visitors of Kibble Park & distribute meals to the homeless
  • A new AV Lab & Recording Studio will allow young people to explore their musical talents, record podcasts & run local youth radio
  • A discrete secondary entrance directs youth in crisis to a First-Aid Room where they can receive help & recuperate.
  • A large Multi-Purpose Community Hall will be made available for community hire, suitable for celebrations, markets, exhibitions & education.
  • An Outdoor Stage connects the community space with adjacent Kibble Park, providing a stage for youth performances & community events.
  • A Community Garden & Yarning Circle will be codesigned with First Nations youth to create a welcoming & cultural safe space for learning & sharing
  • A free community laundry  & sanitary facilities are available for local homeless to use

‍Ground Floor

  • A new state of the art Youth Hub will provide a casual drop-in space for local youth to access services, training & educational activities
  • A new Community Culture Gallery will share the local history & stories of the Central Coast, from First Nations to modern day, & showcase youth art & creative projects.
  • An on-site office will provide the RYSS team with a new base of operations to provide essential youth services in the heart of Gosford CBD
  • A visually & acoustically separated Sensory Room will provide a quiet retreat for neuro-divergent visitors from the activity of the youth hub.

Mezzanine Floor

  • A Study Lab will be a quiet space for focused study, education & homework help programs
  • Private Meeting Rooms are available for therapy & consultation services, as well as community group meetings.
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