Although the University of Portsmouth has had a single, purpose-built library since 1976, which was extended in 1988, changing technology and huge expansion in student numbers have left it unsuitable for present-day needs.

In 2003, it was decided to incorporate the existing building into a modern, 10,000-square-metre complex.

Designed after a competition organised by the Royal Institute of British Architects, the library was opened by the crime writer P. D. James in 2007.

It forms a focal point on the campus, set behind a large plaza on the edge of Ravelin Park.

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The stone upper floors, with inset timber bays, stand on a base of seminar rooms designed to resemble the Napoleonic-era fortress known as a "ravelin", once located on the site.

The designers sought to avoid the "stuffiness" often associated with libraries and to minimise energy consumption by making optimal use of natural lighting.

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Group study rooms look down on the "street", which runs through the three-storey entrance hall, where bridges link the original structure with the new extension.

Reading bays offer views over the landscaped courtyard, green roof and park beyond.

matthew.reisz@tsleducation.com.