A library of the future, combining the needs of the users, local culture, and new technological advancements in a space that is welcoming and functional, and open to the entire population. This is, in short, the opinion of the international panel that on 15 August proclaimed the Dokk1 library of Aarhus, Denmark, the winner of the Public Library of the Year Award 2016 during the IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions) Conference of Columbus, Ohio (USA).
The library, designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, was built in the port of Aarhus, in a central position in town that, at the same time, allows for a cultural revitalisation of the port area. The grounds of the building have been organised in such a way so as to create a meeting and leisure space, as well as to provide access from all sides of the building, without prioritising any of the façades. Architect Kim Holst Jensen of Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects describes the library as an indoor urban space, “an undulating landscape”, a place that encourages learning and stimulates the sharing of knowledge, improving interpersonal relationships and providing a new sense of community.
(Agnese Bifulco)
Design: Schmidt, Hammer, Lassen Architects
Location: Aarhus, Denmark
Images courtesy of Schmidt, Hammer, Lassen Architects
www.shl.dk