Rosewood Library branches out with imaginative children’s corner
03 July 2020
Rosewood Library is coming to life ahead of its grand opening later this month with the installation of a giant joinery tree in the children’s reading corner.
Imaginations are set to go into overdrive as children read and play under the tree which towers at over five metres tall.
The installation of the tree is the latest milestone in the construction and fit-out of Rosewood Library, which will be open to the public from Monday, 27 July.
Mayor Teresa Harding said the library will become a hub of activity for the Ipswich community.
“Rosewood Library will not simply be a place to borrow books; it will be space for collaboration, innovation and creativity,” she said.
“The addition of this beautifully crafted joinery tree at the new Rosewood Library will undoubtedly inspire creativity in our community.
“The installation will create the right atmosphere for Ipswich families to feel welcome and comfortable and is just one of the features that makes our new library unique.”
The man behind the tree’s creation, Paul Mitchell from Far Far Furniture, said it took three weeks to assemble on site.
“The tree was first digitally created in CAD [computer-aided design] and reviewed by an engineer,” Mr Mitchell said.
“I then wrote the code to use on a digital fabrication manufacturing platform and then programmed the CNC [computer numerical control] router to be cut.
“I created 20 individual pieces which were to be assembled on site.
“Most of the assembly happened by hand and the pieces were bolted or glued into place.
“When the tree reached 2.7 metres it was time to get some help from a city crane.
“The entire tree weighed in at 1,200 kilograms and is 5.5 metres high.”
Mr Mitchell said he was ‘stoked’ with the outcome.
“It looks great,” he said.
“It’s one think looking at the tree on a computer program but actually getting it to site and assembling it was a really exciting process.
“Although my daughter was sad to see the base of her cubby house tree go, which sat on my deck, it’s going to be something else taking my children to see the final tree fully assembled in place at Ipswich City Council’s new Rosewood Library.”
Construction of Rosewood Library is a joint initiative of Ipswich City Council and the Queensland Government.