Libraries

The Town Hall of Quedillac wanted to build a Cultural Center for the city. The main objective was to battle against capsularisation by providing a place where a diversity of publics could mix and gather around a common ground, thus fostering a social bond among the citizens. The new building would include a multimedia library, hall – coffee area, a youth space for teenagers and a childcare section for small children. David Foessel The site chosen by the municipality was next to the Town Hall, right in the middle of the town, where other public amenities are located (Town Hall, bakery, restaurant, bar, church, etc...).. The challenge was to create a place where multiple activities and publics could cohabitate and find synergy amo... More

Beyer Blinder Belle’s partnership with the Enoch Pratt Free Library extends back to 1998, when BBB was engaged to develop a comprehensive restoration and rehabilitation plan for the beloved historic Central Library for the City of Baltimore and Maryland’s State Library Resource Center. The monumental Art Deco civic building was completed in 1933. Joe Romeo Historic rooms were restored and new interventions made to accommodate a contemporary library program that prioritizes collaboration, creative learning, and digital fluency. New spaces—including the Teen Wing, the Creative Arts Center, and the Job and Career Center, along with conference rooms and staff offices—were expressed in a contemporary design language... More

Winthrop House, comprised of two Neo-Georgian former freshman dormitory buildings from 1913, had undergone few upgrades since its construction. The renewal program re-envisioned Winthrop’s residential, academic, social, and co-curricular spaces and addresses technical challenges, including significant envelope upgrades, the installation of all-new mechanical systems, and detailed restoration work for the House’s signature public spaces. Amidst the sensitive context of Harvard’s River Houses, BBB also designed Robert M. Beren Hall, a distinctive 41-bed addition that includes shared amenities for undergraduates. Working with the House Renewal Project Management Office, Faculty of Arts & Sciences, the Faculty Deans, and s... More

SNFL is a new-generation library for all New Yorkers, with special facilities for young users, adult learning, and business. It offers the perfect contemporary complement to NYPL’s world-famous Stephen A. Schwarzman Building (SASB), located across Fifth Avenue from SNFL. SASB opened in 1911, designed by architects Carrère & Hastings in a glorious Beaux-Art style, and receives over 1.7 million visits a year as the mothership of NYPL’s reference collections. New features at SNFL reflect this harmony between the buildings: long tables that recall the impressive scale of those in SASB’s Rose Main Reading Room, ceiling artwork in the Long Room that echoes the neo-classical paintings set in SASB’s ceilings, and... More

The international architecture competition to design Oslo’s new main library was won by Lund Hagem and Atelier Oslo architects in 2009. The librarians wanted a house that would inspire visitors to explore all the new facilities and activities the modern library can offer. This motivated us to create an open and intriguing building in which you are constantly invited around the next corner, to discover new places. Einar Aslaksen Einar Aslaksen The site is relatively small. In order to avoid building too many floors, the building cantilevers out above its footprint: The first floor above the street to the east, and the fourth floor almost 20 meters out above the urban plaza, creating a protective covering for the entrance. Th... More

As one of the most challenging old industrial areas of Cologne (Germany), the Kalk area wanted to reinvent itself by breathing new life into its community. A modern, technologically advanced and interactive library was a first step toward an open community and a contemporary Kalk. Marco Heyda Social inclusion at Stadtbibliothek KölnThe idea was to create non-commercial place that was inviting to international visitors and set the tone for people to meet, find information and share knowledge. All ages, from children to the elderly, had to be accommodated. The final goal was for all visitors to have the same opportunities to work, read, learn, play, or simply meet up. Marco Heyda From Playing Games to Serious Design ThinkingT... More

The Rathauspassage Paderborn is the result of an initiative by private builders. By converting the old company buildings of the F. Schöningh publishing house, a sequence of new urban spaces has been created, connecting Rosenstraße with Jühenplatz and Rathausplatz.The ground floor zones were completely redesigned for small-scale retail trade and enriched with gastronomic and cultural uses. The upper floors are reserved for offices, surgeries and apartments. The interventions of gutting, renovation and supplementary new buildings have created a lively mix with an unmistakable character. The passages, courtyards and alleys were designed in connection with the old network of paths in Paderborn's city centre. More

The opening of Apple Carnegie Library in the heart of Washington DC marks the revitalisation of an important monument in the city’s history. As the city’s first public library, and its first desegregated public building, the Carnegie Library of Washington DC played a central role in community life for over 70 years since its opening in 1903. After a period of neglect, Apple Carnegie Library continues the traditions of the building by creating a new platform for learning, performance and art for a new generation. Foster + Partners worked in close collaboration with the design team at Apple led by chief design officer, Sir Jonathan Ive to give this cultural icon a new lease of life. “I love the synergy between old and new, the juxtaposition o... More

Palazzo’s Centenary Square, the largest public square in the heart of Birmingham, currently lacks cohesion or a clear identity or atmosphere. Mecanoo’s design transforms the square into one with three distinct realms: monumental, cultural and entertainment. These palazzos form an urban narrative of important periods in the history of the city; The Repertory Theatre (REP), a 1960s concrete building, the Library of Birmingham, designed in 2009 and Baskerville House, a listed sandstone building designed in 1936. The busiest pedestrian route in the city, what Mecanoo calls the red line, leads pedestrians into Centenary Square. The cantilever of the library is not only a large canopy that provides shelter at the common entrance of the Library... More

“Since opening, the library has been overtaken by students, who are extremely enthusiastic and appreciative of their new ‘home away from home.’ This was our purpose.” - Elaine Molinar, Managing Director for Snøhetta In the James B. Hunt Jr. Library—located on North Carolina State’s Centennial Campus in Raleigh—individuals across a variety of disciplines benefit from the technical innovations and research achievements available. As versatile as the needs of a public library are, so must be the interiors, which serve as an integral part of a student’s learning experience. Snøhetta, an international architecture and interior design office based in Oslo, Norway and New York City, worked closely with Executive Architect Clark Nexsen (formerly... More

In recent years we have come to value the sun as an ally that supplies us with free energy. However, even your closest ally can sometimes be an uninvited guest. On summer days the sun can give off too much heat and this can be unpleasant, especially if you are in a building that incorporates lots of glass. The Laidlaw Library, part of the University of Leeds, was constructed in early 2014 and glass was an important element in the design of this building. Architectural firm ADP nevertheless managed to achieve the ideal indoor climate, working together with various parties including Duco Ventilation & Sun Control. The new undergraduate library at the University of Leeds provides 1000 reader seats, flexible training rooms, a skills zone, co... More