Library Buildings around the World

Sitting on a patch of high ground, the 'Biblioteca publica Jose Hierro' could be described as a castle for the safe keeping of books and
other information. Upon entering, the first thing one encounters is a dramatic triple height entrance space, followed by the discovery
that the the ground floor plan is actually quite extensive, and is not confined to the footprint of the tower above. A good way to
experience the building is to take the lift up to the top floor and then walk back down the stairs. The plan of the tower is divided in a
two-thirds/one-third split. There are several double height spaces occupying the larger portion, with mezzanine galleries - holding
the toilets and quiet study rooms - forming the smaller part of the plan. Tall slit windows, arranged in an apparently random
fashion, allow in natural light. The interior walls are covered in abstracted text in different colours. Structure is confined to the core
and perimeter to leave a largely column-free interior. Contributed by davidb (http://www.mimoa.eu)
Munch Museum (Library), Oslo – Norway on design
Restricted International Competition. First prize. Usable area: 12.300 m2. client: Oslo Kommune
The future complex formed by the Munch Museum and the Stenersen Museum Collections is not only to safeguard and
disseminate a basic heritage of the history and character of Norwegian culture; we find ourselves faced with a unique
opportunity to develop a contemporary museum concept drawn from a transcendental urban role and a historical
responsibility as a cohesive element for the community not only of Oslo but of all the nation. The Museum is conceived as an
institution which is open to the city and highly visible, which must be visited many times in a lifetime because of its dynamic
programs but also because of its power as a place of concentration, walks and daily relaxation in its terraces and cafes or
even because of its retail spaces. The proposal as a whole is notably involved with energy and environmental sensitivity
issues. The detailed explanation of the operation of the Museum installations has been made clear. This is the moment to
underscore our firm position that these housing facilities, inasmuch as every other proposed building, not least Lambda’s
public spaces must adhere to the sustainable criteria hereby proposed, beginning with the very reduction of cost as first.
(Herreros)
ACXT Arquitectos, Madrid – Spain
Jesús Maria Susperrequi
http://www.acxt.net
Libraries :
Biblioteca Central del Campus Ourense de la Universitat de Vigo – Spain 2005
5.250 m²
Awards:
ENOR (Electromecánica del Noroeste) Architecture Award
Literature:
"Central Library: Ourense." In: Second Prize of Architecture 2006 Ascensores enormous . Vigo: Group Ascensores enormous, DL
2006. ISBN 84-690-0601-0, p. 254-263
"Central Library Campus Ourense Ourense Campus = Central Library." In: ACXT: Works and Projects = Works & Projects:
2001-2005 . Alcobendas: TF Editors, 2006. ISBN 978-84-96209-1, P. 102-115
As in the case of the Documentation Centre and Archives, University of A Coruña , the new Central Library Campus of Ourense
(2005) of the University of Vigo was also a finalist for Galicia in the 2nd Prize of Architecture Ascensores enormous 2006 . Building
architects Llamazares Jesus Castro Zayas and Carvajal Galo ( ACXT Architects ), the new library located on a slight slope
inclination in a city park. The building is L shaped which differentiate the different uses of the building: the horizontal section is
located below the main level of the slope, here we find the deposit of documents. In the vertical section, above the elevation and
height, there are other offices, located in a 4-storey tower that aims to become an architectural landmark of the city and is inspired
by the Roman milestones. The space and transition between these two sections can be found in the square has been created in the
roof of the horizontal section. A place that makes the park depending on viewpoint, but above all acts of channeling communications,
a deliberately horizontal communications. (http://www.bauenblog.info)
The building forms an devated plaza overlooking the surrounding landscape, it is limited by the volume housing the book storage
and by the tower. The latter is inspred by the baroque retables and assumes the role of an urban landmark, making the entrance to
the campus. The interior space flows continuously between the various reading areas. (ACXT)
CEIBS Campus Library, Beijing – China 2010
CEIBS (China Europe Internacional Business School) is the Business School leader in Asia. As part of it´s growth has taken
the decision of building a new Campus in Beijing contracting AXCT-IDOM Group as design architect. The new Campus
occupies about 19,000 sqm in a three floors building and a basement floor in a plot 33,000 sqm in the Zhong Guan Cun
Science Park in Beijing. The project is conditioned by the teaching function, the Zhong Guan Cun Science Park master
planning which proposes a series of compact buildings scattered in the forest as small islands in the ocean and finally by the
client´s needs of building it in two phases and making it look as good and as finished also at the end of phase 1. A basement,
which occupies completely the plot permitted with the more public, composes the building in phase 1 and main uses as the
lecture hall, the amphitheaters classrooms, discussion rooms and bar. It is full of courtyards that like the Chinese
traditional architecture give as a very good climate control and let us prioritize the relationship among different spaces not
losing the complete vision of the building as it happens in the forbidden city in Beijing.
Floor Plan
In the other two floors we have some more discussion rooms and flat classrooms and other more not so public uses as
professors and staff working spaces and organized as fingers linked to a long corridor. Each floor has a different shape and
a different relationship with the forest. Basement relationship is with the trunk of the tree and with the courtyards full of
green bamboo creating a introvert space, second floor with the crown with a similar ambient and is the third floor the one
occupied by the staff and professors is the one that looks over the forest like a metaphor of a ship lookout. The traditional
Chinese architecture and philosophy already fascinated us, and it has been the engine of our architectural ideas helping us to
shape the project, and it is easy to recognize it in the election of the colors and materials as, mainly, in the spatial
configuration of the building. This is the way the building represents CEIBS spirit of encounter between China and Europe.
Section
Now we can see finished the phase 1 ended but it will be in phase 2 when the building will be able to express the dynamic
concept of balance of the Chinese yin yang in the Chinese architecture thanks to the feng shui art and, in this case,
2