Swiss Cottage Library

Swiss Cottage Library
Clockwise from top: length as viewed from Finchley Road; ground floor of the reference library; south-facing aerial view
51°32′33″N 0°10′24″W / 51.5424°N 0.1733°W / 51.5424; -0.1733
Type	public library
Established	10 November 1964; 59 years ago (1964-11-10) as Hampstead Central Library
Architect(s)	Basil Spence
Service area	London Borough of Camden
Collection
Size	128,650
Other information
Website	www.camden.gov.uk/swiss-cottage-library
Building details
General information
Address	88 Avenue Road London NW3 3HA
Construction started	31 December 1962; 61 years ago (1962-12-31)
Cost	£200,000 (equivalent to £4.7 million in 2019)
Owner	London Borough of Camden
Technical details
Floor count	3
Floor area	5,470 square metres (58,880 sq ft)[1]
Listed Building – Grade II
Official name	Swiss Cottage Library
Designated	2 December 1997
Reference no.	1272259

Swiss Cottage Library is a public library in the London Borough of Camden housed in an architectural landmark building on Avenue Road. Designed by Sir Basil Spence of Spence, Bonnington & Collins, it was built between 1963 and 1964.

It replaced the former Metropolitan Borough of Hampstead's main library, Finchley Road Library, which had suffered damage during the Blitz and lacked sufficient capacity. The new library was originally part of a larger civic project designed to regenerate the wider Swiss Cottage area, but following reorganisations in local government only it and the adjoining swimming baths were built.

The building shows a more open, fluid architectural style compared to other contemporary libraries, with distinct fins revolving around the exterior. Opened by Queen Elizabeth II on 10 November 1964, the library has been Grade II listed since 1997, and was refurbished in the early 2000s as part of the Swiss Cottage Centre redevelopment.