Library Buildings around the World

University College Østfold, Halden/Remmen – Norway 2005 – 2006
location: Remmen in Halden, Norway, client: Statsbygg, Norwegian Public Construction and Property Management
size: 28 000 m2, commission type: Invited Competition 1st prize (1998), status: Phase 1 completed 2005. Phase 2 completed 2006
The key notion of the architectural strategy is the location’s natural features and the use of a limited material palette. The project is
situated in an old “culturscape” and special attention is paid to integrate it into its surroundings. The design is based on simple
geometrical prisms, lines and slabs composed into a complex lay-out of rooms and functions. Critical functions and lines of
communication are emphasised and the building expresses a balance of functional efficiency and open perspectives. (RRA)
New outlook for landmark University building in Norway: Completed in 2006, the HiØ is a building of national and regional
importance. Situated between Oslo and Sweden this University building is a melting pot for many cultures and people. The challenge
was to refurbish the existing complex, originally completed in the 70s, modernising it to suit the College's current and future needs,
whilst adding to it new functions and spaces that would complement the existing. The key notion of the architectural strategy is the
location's natural features and the use of a limited material palette. The project is situated in an old rural landscape and special
attention is paid to integrate it into its surroundings. The design is based on simple geometrical prisms, lines and slabs composed into
a complex lay-out of rooms and functions. More than 900 rooms are organized around common spaces, small "forums" or "agoras",
reminders of what a University life is all about. Informal meeting spaces, debating arenas, and areas of personal exploration
punctuate all the buildings. Hovering over all the other buildings, tracing the east-west natural ridge between two forests, is a long
wood-clad volume which houses the new study rooms and office spaces. This structure is the articulating element and the spine of the
whole complex. Where this block intersects the new Library, it opens up in a series of dynamic spaces. Boxes hang from the ceiling
defying the laws of physics, light pours in from sky lights and from the continuous glazed façade inviting one out onto the Library’s roof
terrace. The careful choice of materials enhances the experience of this building. Concrete and glass are counterbalanced with colour
and softer / warmer materials, such as wood and brick. They blend new and old together creating a unique feeling of accord and
defiance, an ideal environment for learning and personal development. The double and triple height spaces created through the main
buildings are changed, their volumes sculpted, shaped by the changing light conditions during the dramatically diverse Norwegian
seasons. The glazed façade and multiple openings are not however a detriment to the buildings energy efficiency. In fact they reduce
the need for artificial light by bringing light deep into the complex. Furthermore, by the use of mass and a structured planning
strategy, the building is able to keep its internal temperature fairly constant all year long with limited heating / cooling costs for a
building of this size. (http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com)
Snøhetta, Oslo, New York – Norway
http://www.snoarc.no
Libraries:
James B. Hunt Jr. Library, North Carolina State University, Raleigh – USA on design (2012)
20.439 m²
Snøhetta, the lead designer for North Carolina State University’s planned James B. Hunt Jr. Library, has been honored as
co-recipient of the 2010 European Prize for Urban Public Space. The prize is a biennial competition organized by six
European institutions with the aim to recognize and encourage recovery projects and the defense of public space in
European cities. The honor was awarded for the design of the National Opera House in Oslo, Norway, the largest cultural
center built in the country in 700 years. Rapidly becoming an iconic building for Norway in the way that the Sydney Opera
House is for Australia, the National Opera House is known for its dramatic integration with the surrounding landscape. Its
sloping roof rises out of the adjacent fjord so that the building itself is not clearly distinguishable from the water that fronts
it. As the committee that awarded the prize remarked, the design of the Opera House is especially noted for its ability to
create a welcoming environment: “through its capacity to merge with topography and as topography, it generously offers
itself to the public . . . . It draws people to the space.” Snøhetta is working with Pearce Brinkley Cease + Lee, the North
Carolina-based executive architect for the new Hunt Library, to deliver a signature building and a similarly iconic heart for
NC State’s Centennial Campus. Located on the Centennial Campus academic oval, the new library will embody the spirit of
NC State’s competitive advantage in science, engineering, textiles and technology, providing a research library that will be a
major factor in attracting and retaining the best faculty, students and corporate partners. Hunt Library is also expected to
become an international destination for those watching how research and learning can be a strong catalyst in a modern
economy. The new library will also help close a serious seating gap for the NCSU Libraries, which can currently seat less
than five percent of NC State’s students. Hunt Library will double the amount of seats, moving NC State closer to the UNC
system mandate to provide library study seating for twenty percent of the student body. Hunt Library will also reinforce the
strong emphasis the NCSU Libraries places on acting as a technology incubator for the university. From its bold design, to its
robotic automatic retrieval system, to the latest in computing and collaboration technologies, Hunt Library will continue to
prepare the NC State community to lead in a technology-driven economy. NC State broke ground on the Hunt Library in
October 2009; construction is expected to be completed in 2012. ( http://news.lib.ncsu.edu ) 13.04.10 North Carolina State
University is among the most prestigious educational institutions in the United States. For over a century it has been
expanding its curriculum and influence in a wide range of engineering and arts studies. Its central campus is composed of
weel preserved neo-Georgian brick structures connected by a series of lush quadrangles. As the university has grown steadily
it has stressed the limits of its historical center and since the late 1970´s it has begun to develop in a nearby area known as the
Centennial Campus. The new James B. Hunt Jr. Library is among the most prestigious new buildings on campus and is seen
as the flagship design for the new Centennial campus. In addition to the design of the building, Snøhetta has been involvrd in
the refinement of the master plan. The most prominent exterior feature, a large grass plane known as the Centennial Oval,
was modified to accomodate the new Library and also to more forcefully integrate the existing natural forestation and valleys
of the pre-existing terrain. With 1700 new seats in a range of reading and learning commons areas, the new James B. Hunt
Jr. Library is a showcase for contemporary library planning. A wide range of collaborative atmospheres are carefully
planned to promote use and activity while also including quiet, protected reading areas throughout. The highest level of
Audio Visual technology is also planned throughout the building to ensure ease of access to both local and remote
visualzation. An Automated Retrieval System is used to store books and allow for virtual browsing to two-million volumes of
book. Further enhancing the library use are Graduate Reading Commons and a center for Humanities Studies. A 400 and
100 person auditorium is available for academic use to the remainder of the campus. The highest level of the building is home
to the Skyline Reading Room with an outdoor terrace providing a dramatic view of the surrounding natural landscape. In
addition to the library and academic functions, the building also houses the Institute for Emerging Issues, a non-profit socio-
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