The curved wall faces south and forms a courtyard of entrance to the Library. The interior is lit by clerestory windows above an east-west passage. The Reading Room is south of the passage and the bookstacks are north of the passage. The Library is the centre of a university campus and in the Cork Institute the new Library contributed a new sense of well-being in the academic community.

The design of the Library commenced in 1992 and was completed in phases up to 1999. The building area is 5000 m2 and the construction cost was €6.5m. The Library has seating for approximately 400 readers. The commission to design the building was awarded following an international selection process.

AAI Award 1995

RIAI Gold Medal 1997