Delivered as a joint venture between Keys and Monaghan with Cooney Architects, CAKM JV, Kinnegad Library for Westmeath Co Council sought to give new life to the existing historic building while creating a contemporary, welcoming and accessible public library. The project was approached through the careful repair of the original fabric, retaining the strong character of the stone and brick former national school while adapting the building to meet the needs of a modern community facility. The new extensions are deliberately contemporary in expression, providing a clear distinction between old and new.

Lightweight glazed forms sit alongside the more solid historic structure, allowing the original building to remain visually dominant while introducing additional space, natural light and a stronger connection between the interior and its surroundings. Internally, the arrangement of spaces was developed to create an open and flexible library environment, with improved circulation and carefully considered connections between the existing building and new accommodation. Daylight plays an important role throughout, with the glazed additions bringing light deep into the plan and creating a more open relationship with the public realm. The completed project brings together conservation and contemporary intervention, preserving the architectural character of the original building while allowing it to evolve for a new generation of users.

Rather than competing with the existing architecture, the new elements complement it, creating a civic building that is both rooted in its history and distinctly contemporary. The existing fabric is carefully restored using best conservation practice. While the new structure is exposed timber glulam, concrete floors for fire and acoustic reasons and glass all clearly expressed

The external limestone paving creates a new civic plaza onto the main street connecting to the newly created town park. While within the library small pocket parks provide private restful spaces .