Paisley Central Library took home silver in the regeneration category at the Scottish Design Awards.

Recognised for its innovative designs, the library located within Paisley Learning and Cultural Hub is part of an ongoing drive to regenerate Paisley and give people new reasons to visit the town centre.

The new building is housed in a former High Street shop and is spread over four floors and has a reception area, children's library, and storytelling area with a play structure that includes a climbing wall and slide which are co-designed with Scottish artist Claire Barclay.

The upper floors offer an outdoor terrace, community rooms, and a study area for young adults, complete with free Wi-fi and PC access to support digital inclusivity.

(Image: Renfrewshire Council)

Culture and leisure trust, OneRen, operates the venue, providing a range of events for all ages such as the Paisley Book Festival, author visits, and storytelling workshops.

Chris Dalrymple, head of facilities and property services at Renfrewshire Council, said: "Taking home silver is fantastic recognition for everyone involved, but especially our Property Services team and Collective Architecture who we worked closely with to transform the building into a modern facility for the community.

"The number of people using the library since it reopened is through the roof and long may this continue as we aim to engage local people, young and old, in their local libraries."

Collective Architecture led the design team with the goal of creating a ‘welcoming, accessible and inclusive library’ for Paisley.

(Image: Renfrewshire Council)

Ewan Imrie, director and project architect, said: “I am absolutely delighted that Paisley Central Library has won a Scottish Design Award.

“We wanted to create a 'living room' for Paisley, where people of all ages and backgrounds could explore the diverse spaces across its four floors.

“The folded paper-themed façade is meant to spark curiosity and invite the community in. Seeing the project recognized in this way is incredibly gratifying. This award is a testament to the hard work and creativity of everyone involved”.

The project was also undertaken in collaboration with hub West Scotland.

Angeline Robertson, partnership director at hub West Scotland, said: “We are delighted that Paisley Central Library has won the Silver Award at the Scottish Design Awards.

“The addition of the Library to the High Street has had a huge visual impact as well as increasing footfall to the library.

“It brings the community together in a fantastic environment that is designed for adults, teenagers, and young children, catering for all the different user needs."