The new library was originally part of a larger civic project designed to regenerate the wider Swiss Cottage area, but following reorganisations in local government only it and the adjoining swimming baths were built.

The building shows a more open, fluid architectural style compared to other contemporary libraries, with distinct fins revolving around the exterior.

[6][3] The borough desperately needed more space for books, and incorporated a new library into its plans for a new civic centre to house its headquarters and other services.

[7] Post-war, the British government had prioritised housing and education, resulting in wartime restrictions remaining in force and many libraries being designed for fewer users than needed.

[12] As Hampstead's final major infrastructure project, the original "masterplan" was downgraded to include only a sports centre and a library, per demands from the Greater London Council and central government.

[7] Present, amongst others, were Councillor Luigi Carlo Denza, then Mayor of Hampstead, Basil Spence and Sir Edwin McAlpine, acting head of the library's construction firm at the time.

[19] In 1989, Camden reported that the swimming baths were underperforming and that Swiss Cottage Library, then being the largest and most used in the borough, had structural issues that required immediate address, even after remedial works in 1984.

[31] The refurbishment, despite being widely acclaimed, was subject to numerous delays and significantly overbudget, in part a result of the project's primary contractor going into administration; McAslan and Camden's relationship was described as "bumpy".

[32] In spite of refurbishments, Camden began a major overhaul of its library service in 2011, looking to cut its budget by £2 million due to falling borrower numbers.

[35] Built in the ubiquitous Modernist style of the 1960s, Spence took inspiration from the vast open-space and minimalism of Scandinavian libraries,[7] visiting them to take notes on the designs.

[7] The library's location in Swiss Cottage, described by Spence as the "gateway to North London",[5] was criticised due to significant noise pollution from the arterial Finchley Road that it borders.

[36][5] Entry is via a semi-circular foyer with the main staircase in front on entrance;[37] originally lending and return counters were positioned on either side, though these were moved to their respective libraries following the refurbishment.

Whilst the RIBA Journal defended the new furniture, calling it "pretty good" for local authority standards,[1] Camden Arts Centre director Jenni Lomax, writing in The Guardian, argued that the removal "[destroyed] its initial integrity".

[40] Spence's "floating" bookshelves additionally delineate the floor into casual studying areas: the library's fins also hide the bookcases' backs, preventing an unsatisfying effect from the outside.