Today, thanks to emerging technologies and pioneering design, libraries are no longer just the quiet book collection mecca they once were – advanced book retrieval technology allows libraries to free up more space and give way to artistic public spaces, which has made more and more libraries an important "parlor" of the city. According to a Pew Research Center analysis of U.S. library attendance, millennials use libraries more than any other generation. While historians consider the 17th century to be the "golden age of libraries," the following futuristic designs and projects suggest that the path to library renaissance is progressing in an orderly manner.
Helsinki Central Library Oodi, Finland
Finland is known for its vibrant library culture, but the library's designers have subverted traditional models, the most emblematic of which is to "condescend" reading spaces and bookshelves to the top floor of the building, while the other two floors blend in with the outdoor plaza. It is a space designed for the public to hang out in the heart of the city, and the designers sought to create a "living room for citizens" where ideas can be exchanged, which is in line with the library's design theme, that is, the mission of promoting democratic equality. Since only one-third of the library's space is dedicated to books (only 100,000 volumes can be stored at the same time), the designers have adopted advanced distribution systems such as the "book sorting robot" to make the library's 3.4 million volumes available.
Qatar National Library, Qatar
One of the most amazing elements of the Qatar National Library is the Heritage Library, which was designed as an archaeological excavation site. The 6-metre-deep glass vitrines house the most valuable and expensive books, manuscripts and historical photographs that tell the story of Qatar, the Arabian Peninsula and Islamic civilization, symbolizing the connection between the past and the present. Everything in the Heritage Library is digital, and the public or researchers can access the entire collection of the Reading Room through registered library members.
Austin Central Library, USA
The $120 million Austin Central Library has attracted attention for its sustainable resource-using design. In response to the drought in Texas, the designers "sourced materials on the spot" and built a 373,000-gallon rainwater harvesting system through concrete vaults that already existed on site. A solar panel garden located at the top of the main building and above the roof powers about a third of the building. The solar system consists of three arrays with a total of 567 solar panels and a total power of 182 kW-dc, which is equivalent to the annual consumption of 21 Austin homes.
Philological Library, Berlin, Germany
The Library of Philology at Freie Universität Berlin is known as the "Berlin Brain" for its skull-like appearance and is praised for its intelligent ecological structure. British architect Norman Foster has spent years studying how buildings can employ both active and passive technologies to improve energy efficiency. To this end, the building was designed as a bubble-like appearance that naturally ventilates and consists of three parts. The shell features aluminum and glass panels that adjust the internal temperature; a geometric supporting steel frame separates the inner and outer layers; and a translucent inner membrane covering it is used to filter sunlight and allow the right amount of light to pass through, creating a perfect learning environment.
The Arabian Library, Scottsdale, USA
In a nod to the environment, the scottsdale Public Library's designers, inspired by Antelope Canyon in Arizona, created the building's unique rust-colored façade, making it one of the city's most expressive buildings. Unlike a traditional library, its interior space is more like a combination of a retail store and a living room, encouraging the younger generation to use self-service kiosks to borrow books.
Tianjin Binhai New Area Library, China
Tianjin Binhai New Area Library is known as the "Eye of Binhai", and its biggest highlight is the shape of the book mountain created in the atrium inspired by "The Book Mountain has a road and a diligent path". From the floor to the wall to the ceiling, the atrium is completely wrapped in terraced floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, which seem to accommodate endless books, and form three functions of bookshelves, seats, and steps, the narrowest is used to walk, the slightly wider is used to stand or stay, and the widest can sit down and read. The "Eyeball" of the "Eye of the Sea" is a highly technological spherical multi-purpose hall equipped with surround sound and digital projection functions. The building's popularity on social media has made it one of the largest tourist attractions in Tianjin.
(The pictures and texts are mainly from https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/futuristic-libraries, and comprehensive reference to relevant materials)
Editor: Chen Yu
Editor-in-Charge: Yang Yiqi
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