Winning design announced for Coburg’s new $60 million library and piazza

13 Mar 2026

An aerial view of central Coburg features a rendering of a multistory building with the entire glass frontage encased in glass and the angular sides and roof clad in an aqua colour material. There is a large public square with paving, trees and grass in front.

A bold new vision for Coburg’s civic heart has been revealed today, with the announcement of the winning design — and design team behind it—for a new $60 million Coburg Library and Piazza.

The winning design is now available for community consultation, providing residents, businesses, and community organisations with opportunities to help shape the next stage of the project , ensuring the draft concept design reflects local aspirations and cultural diversity. Feedback gathered during this phase will inform the detailed design process.

Selected through a design competition, a multidisciplinary team led by Durbach Block Jaggers, working in collaboration with Architecture Associates and Openwork, delivered the winning proposal. The design was unanimously commended by an independent jury for its confident design strategy which is grounded in its urban and community context.

The winning design showcases a contemporary four-storey library building seamlessly connected to a new public piazza, creating a cultural and social anchor for the precinct. Key elements include:  

  • A next generation library with flexible spaces for reading, digital learning, creative and cultural programs, and community use. 
  • A generous new open piazza, designed as a welcoming and multifunctional public space framed by seating, lawn and trees. 
  • Improved accessibility and precinct connections, supporting inclusive movement and links to transport throughout the area. 

The multidisciplinary design team includes: 

  • Lead Architectural Practice: Durbach Block Jaggers 
  • Architectural Practice: Architecture Associates 
  • Landscape Architectural Practice: Openwork 

The jury praised the team’s collaborative approach and remarked that “the overall design concept is clear and well-resolved, enriched by subtle, characterful details that enhance amenity without compromising a delightful concept.”

Construction of the $60 million project is expected to begin in mid 2028, marking one of Coburg’s most significant civic developments in recent decades. When complete, the new precinct will serve as a central destination for learning, creativity, and community life.

Construction of Coburg’s new Library and Piazza is expected to begin in mid 2028, and open in late 2029. 

For more information on the new Coburg Library and Piazza and the Central Coburg Report for Merri-bek, please visit Conversations Merri-bek.

Central Coburg community engagement summary released 

The new library and piazza will be the centrepiece of the future revitalisation of central Coburg.

Late last year, the community had an opportunity to provide feedback on the draft concept for central Coburg, with the findings now available in the Community Engagement Summary report on Conversations Merri-bek.

Council received more than 1300 pieces of feedback from a diverse range of community members across the online survey, 19 face-to-face public engagement sessions, more than 20 stakeholder meetings held in Coburg, Fawkner and Brunswick, and drop-ins to 180 local businesses.

The summary report outlines the themes of feedback council officers heard from community, and details how Council plans to respond in an updated framework plan expected to be finalised later this year.