The creation of the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre at the University of British Columbia was a significant renovation. It involved the original 1925 Main Library (the Heritage Core), the demolition of all subsequent additions, and 200,000 square-feet of new construction. The project was designed in association with Los Angeles architectural firm HHPA.

The result is a 21st century learning centre for the university and the wider provincial community. In addition to the traditional library collection, storage, and seating, the building includes a range of academic units, classrooms and lecture theatres, collaborative project rooms, learning and technology resources, and a community concourse.  It features an innovative automatic storage and retrieval system, with a capacity of 1.4 million volumes. This also includes a climate-controlled vault for rare books and archives. Reading rooms, gallery space, flexible interior seating for over 1,500 study seats, classrooms, theatre and a Café keep it vibrant. The building design captures light and offers a tranquil and relaxing space to study.