The library (III).

This is the Manuel Altolaguirre library in Málaga (Spain) designed by CDG Arquitectos.

The park in front of the library descends to reach the lower level, and the library opens to this space. This way, the library only gets one floor above the street.

Images here.

SANAA's cube.

This is the Zollverein School of Management and Design by SANAA in Essen, Germany.

It's a concrete cube of 35m on each side, perforated with squares (in three different measures).

The ground floor contains public spaces; the cafeteria and exhibition spaces.

The second floor contains the library.

The first floor contains the design studio; the third, workspaces; and the roof, the future garden.

Images credits and more info here.

The library. (II)

This is the university mensa and library of Leipzig (Germany), made by Behet Bondzio Lin Architeckten.

"The building is one of the old buildings of the 1970's era campus. Its interior was marked by brick-clad foyer walls as well as the Scandinavian charm in the library. The library was connected to the foyer by a central atrium and the basement expanded in order to accomodate approximately 100,000 volumes. It mantains a quiet and concentrated atmosphere with the bright wall surfaces and wood trim."

"The starting point for the architects for the conception of the inner city university complex was the reintegration in the city structure on the basis of the historical blocks with their alleys, passageways and courtyards. The connection of the buildings of the campus is accomplished by the dominant bright façades surrounding a dark plinth."

Image credits: Behet Bondzio Lin Architekten
Text credits: Masterpieces: Library Architecture + Design by Manuela Roth.

The library. (I)

I am currently doing my final university project (in Architecture), I started in September and hope to finish in October 2012. I chose to do a new library in the city centre of Figueres.

As I'm in the beginnings of all this, I'm starting to make sketches and first models, so I'm looking for exisiting examples. That's the reason of this post, every now and then I'll be posting libraries I really like, and hope they start bringing me the inspiration I need :)

This is a Culture House and Library in Copenhagen (Denmark) by COBE. They made an extension to the existing culture house (of 1150 m2) and completed it with a new building of 2000 m2. 

 

 

As they say: "The new culture house consists of four clearly defined programs: a children’s library, a youth library, a library for adults and a concert hall. These four functions are stacked on top of each other like a series of golden “books”. Each "book" is a world of its own with individual interiors and furnishment. The spaces between the books are open zones for flexible use."

 

"As a main gesture, the concert hall is placed at the top of the building. A powerful object that seems to defy the laws of gravity, the position of the hall encourage people to move across the building towards the magnificent view over Copenhagen."

Image credits: COBE.