Book Mountain
- Words
- Anke Nunheim
‘What is the role of a contemporary library in an age of competition with the Internet and Amazon? Is it possible to realize a library that legitimizes its position and forms a worthy cultural beacon in the young city?’ That and more were the questions MVRDV Architects asked themselves when starting with their new project for Spijkenisse near Rotterdam.
+ Read MoreNow the new public library is a long bookshelf spiraling up creating a mountain of books, covered by a glass shell. Stacking the closable spaces on top of one another creates an intriguing vertical formation due to differences in size. The ground floor contains commercial space, the first floor the offices, the second floor the individual study sections and the mind-sports section, the fourth floor the terrace for exhibitions and events, and the fifth floor the technical rooms. The 10,000 m2 building is an example of sustainable technology and relies completely on natural ventilation. A magnificent space for knowledge, information and culture that unambiguously promotes the idea of reading day and night. Because at dusk and in darkness, the library changes into an enchanted mountain where you’ll love to read the whole night long.
All images © Jeroen Musch | Via: My Modern Met
