Former public air raid shelter and gas decontamination centre, Westbourne Library, Ipswich

The building is a former public air raid shelter and gas decontamination centre located at Westbourne Library in Ipswich. It was designed to be blast proof and later gas proof, constructed from reinforced concrete with a flat concrete roof.

The exterior of the building is L-shaped and single-storey, featuring a tower above the main entrance. It has eaves-height, metal-framed Crittal windows, which were produced in Witham, Essex, running along the length of the two wings. The first-floor windows in the tower have been replaced. The line of the windows is highlighted by horizontal channelled rustication and recessed eaves, a design that reflects the facade of the nearby Broomhill Lido, which is also listed at Grade II, giving the building a Moderne appearance. Originally, there was a door to the north of the main entrance, but this has been blocked, and the windows on the north elevation have been altered.

Internally, public air raid shelters had few notable features. However, gas decontamination centres had a specific layout that included an air lock, undressing area, eye douche and showers, drying rooms, and dressing rooms. Metal columns in the wing facing Sherrington Road suggest a central division that may have separated civilian and military personnel decontamination areas. The current fire escape on the south elevation was originally the door to the airlock, marking the start of the decontamination process. Some internal partitions have been removed, and the rear wing shows no signs of subdivisions. Additionally, three skylights have been added to the rear wing to bring more light into the library.