The Magic of Library Spaces
A Journey Through my Top 3 Libraries
As a great lover of books, and having a continuous thirst for knowledge, I always found myself unable to travel with my library. So every time I find bookstores, libraries and any space that contains #books of any kind, I feel at home.
As hard as I find it to choose between books, it's just as hard to choose between my favorite libraries.
I will summarize a top 3 libraries where I always choose to return, where the #space, the #light, the #materials, the #details, the #furniture envelop you in a special world, the perfect support for any book lover.
Malmö Stadsbibliotek by Henning Larsen
The #extension of the #library, annexed to the Renaissance-style building made by arch John Smedberg in 1905, enjoys a delightful view, King's Park, the oldest park in Malmö stad and formerly part of the Castle.
This addition, as well as the glazed surface, gives it a spectacle of nature throughout the year.
The calm #atmosphere, the wealth of books, the #quality of the light, the image of the bookshelves that merge with nature and the vast space are some of the aspects that made me always come back and adore this library.
The culture yard by AART
Also located in an important #historical area, the cultural center is housed in the conversion of the city's #historic shipyard.
The space created by the transparent facade that encompasses the historical building, not only that it works as a climate shield, but manages to create a bright #atmosphere, a constant play of lights and shadows, a visual connection with Kronborg Slot and the seafront, and a lastly, a feast of architectural details.
The constant interplay of the floors crossing the old facade of the historic building, thus creating balconies and double-height gaps creates a constant dialogue between old and new. Also, this dialogue continues through the choice of distinctive materials and solutions.
Deichman Bjørvika by AtelierOslo and Lundhagem
Still on the city's waterfront, the Deichman bibliotek/Oslo Public Library simply won me over.
With an almost simple exterior, it announces its interior show through the last level located in a splendid #cantilever of almost 20 meters.
The interior, a continuous space on 5 levels with natural lighting, manages to create diverse, intimate spaces, and a real show in the #atrium area. The internal circulation intertwines the space and envelops it, constantly offering moments of awe.
No wonder it was full on a sunny Sunday.
The visual connection to Snøhetta's Opera House is just one of the cantilevered level 4 interior highlights.
Both the cultural center in Helsingør Kommune and the library in Oslo are rated "exceptional", the most prestigious rating by Library Rating Europe.
To move, to breathe, to fly, to float,
To gain all while you give,
To roam the roads of lands remote,
To travel is to live.”
― Hans Christian Andersen, The Fairy Tale of My Life: An Autobiography