First opened to the public on 5th March 1909, the Carnegie Library ceased to be used as a branch library in the early 1990's and thereafter became vacant. Acquired by the practice in January 1996, a comprehensive regeneration project was successfully completed in 1999, conserving and restoring the building fabric and implementing a change of use to studio offices.

The project illustrates the skill of the practice in the conservation of Historic and Listed Buildings with maximum retention of historic fabric and incorporation of appropriate technological provisions to ensure future flexibility of use.

These conservation design skills are deployed by Andrew Nesbitt architects within the constraints of commerical feasibility and best practice in environmental management.

The design retains all principal elements of the historic interior with contemporay insertions in matching pitch pine joinery or filigree metalwork carefully placed and detailed to maximise the internal efficiency and usefulness of the common and studio space.

The project derived initially from the practice's need for larger studio accommodation but developed in consultation with the Belfast Regeneration Office of the DoE into a complete restoration of this landmark Grade B1 Listed Building. The project attracted Regeneration Grants including Historic Building Grant.