SkyscraperPage Forum - Architecture of Bibliotopia: Library Pr0n

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Phoenix has a pretty strong tradition of cool, modern libraries. The City has done a very nice job on its recent branch libraries. While nothing in this post is as grand or ornate as most of this thread I hope it can be appreciated on its own merits.

Phoenix, AZ- Burton Barr Central Library

http://pics.librarything.com/picsize...4b41716b42.jpg
Librarything.com

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3440/...a3f664ce_z.jpg
Flickr

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/219/4...69909d5b_z.jpg
(Flickr)
The north window has these sails on the outside that move to control how much light is let in on a hot day, it also provides a nice view of Midtown PHX

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/2...eriormiche.jpg
Wandering Book Artists Blog

http://img522.imageshack.us/img522/1536/dmabruder33.jpg

http://img233.imageshack.us/img233/7...105a09294f.jpg
(my photos)

http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4049/...4827e71228.jpg

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3284/...8693b871_z.jpg
(Flickr)

These supports that hold up the roof light up like candles on the summer solstice, its very cool.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3322/...aa2fc39f_z.jpg
(Flickr)
"The Crystal Canyon" is the main all glass elevator section of the middle of the building.

Phoenix- Desert Broom Branch Library

(all photos of this library from Flickr)
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2052/...321b338a_z.jpg

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(the interior isn't as exciting, its just a small branch library, but I figured I should include one interior)

Phoenix- Cesar Chavez Branch Library

http://c0003264.cdn2.cloudfiles.rack....com/cesar.jpg
LibraryJournal.com

http://www.metropolismag.com/pov/wp-.../chavezcgi.jpg
Metropolis Mag.com

http://www.masoncontractors.org/news...21100000-8.jpg
MasonContractors.com

http://www.masonrysystems.org/wp-con.../inp_90_lg.jpg
Masonrysystems.org

http://www10.aeccafe.com/blogs/arch-...m-the-Lake.jpg
AECCafe.com

Scottsdale, AZ- Arabian Branch Library

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1226/...623_z.jpg?zz=1
(Flickr)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5031/...0fe04e2a_z.jpg
(Fickr)
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3239/...4ce_z.jpg?zz=1

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6064/...c8a557da_z.jpg

This is the entrance! This library takes the typical library entrance; big, ornate, grand and turns it on its head. The entrance is almost hidden and you work your way through a shady man made slot canyon as you go into the library. I don't think this technique would work for a main Central Library but for this little branch library its a lot of fun.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3098/...402_z.jpg?zz=1
(Flickr)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3250/...9d583eab_z.jpg
(Flickr)

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(Flickr)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3175/...7e0_z.jpg?zz=1
(Flickr)
This is the kids reading area

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3116/...8c4_z.jpg?zz=1
(Flickr)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3166/...38f30a08_z.jpg
(Flickr)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3200/...2c4_z.jpg?zz=1
(Flickr)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3274/...e42_z.jpg?zz=1
(Flickr)

Hope you've enjoyed this mini tour of Modern Desert Library Architecture. :)

Quote:

Stuttgart’s Stadtbibliothek Library is a Glowing Rubik’s Cube-Inspired Haven for Readers
by Helen Morgan, 11/14/11

http://inhabitat.com/wp-content/blog...-Young-Yi1.jpg

http://inhabitat.com/wp-content/blog...Young-Yi-4.jpg

http://inhabitat.com/stuttgarts-stad...n-for-readers/

Phoenix has some very innovative libraries and Stuttgart's new Library is also amazing. It's good to see such investment in libraries for future generations :)

They are sure serious about books in the UK.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport (Post 5487845)

They are sure serious about books in the UK.

I suppose the French have always seen themselves as culturally superior in terms of art, the Italians have their great opera, artists and music, whilst the Germans and Austrians great orchestras and composers.

In terms of the British and indeed Irish (whilst we had some fine artists and musical composers) it was really in the field of the written and spoken word that we excelled.

Britain is defined by it's great writers, poets such as Rabbie Burns (Scotland), Dylan Thomas (Wales) and of course famous literary figures such as Chaucer, Shakespeare, Jane Austin, the Bronte sisters, Dickens etc, whilst the Irish have had such literary greats as Keats, Yates, Shaw, Joyce, Wilde etc etc.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_literature

More recently authors such as C.S Lewis, J.R.R Tolkien, Roald Dahl, Philip Pullman and J. K. Rowling have had their work made in to lavish big screen productions.

Britain has also been home to a flourishing theatre culture, with London's West End being one of the great theatre centres of the world, along with New York's Broadway.

http://www.london-theatreland.co.uk/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_End_theatre

There are more than 900 bookshops in London (twice as many as New York), ranging from quirky and accentric independent shops through to large chains, and from the very exclusive such as Hatchards through to the second hand book shops around Charing Cross Road,Camden and Blooomsbury through to the Southbank Centre Book Market.

As a country we have a vast array of literature festivals such as Hay, Edinburgh, Oxford, Cheltenham etc as well as world famous literary awards, such as the Man Booker prize and Orange prize, the winners usually being annouced under baited breath in some lavish ceremony broadcast on BBC2 every year, and reported across the news channels.

http://www.thewordtravels.com/literary-festivals.html

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/bestbookshops

http://themanbookerprize.com/

Of all the other European Nations, the other great literary nation are the Russians, who are also defined by many of their great authors and who have always had a fascination with and appreciation of great literature. It's quite ironic I suppose that Karl Marx wrote his Communist Manifesto in the British Library, although I suppose the Americans have also been heavily influenced by the written word and indeed British writers such as Thomas Paine 'The Rights of Man' and of course the moral and social commentary of Victorian England as presented by Charles Dickens. Whilst Hollywood has long held love affair with British writers, the latest Hollywood production of a much loved British book being Michael Morputgo's 'War Horse' which is being released on to the big screen shortly, in a lavish Steven Spielberg adaptation. The again films are just a modern day extension of the theatre and of plays, and much of what is presented on the big screen starts out in the form of a book or script.

http://www.curtisbrown.co.uk/british...n-bestsellers/

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2010...s-about-russia

http://www.warhorsemovie.com/

Daunt Books which specialises in travel books - Marylebone High Street, London

http://www.dauntbooks.co.uk/

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Source: FractalOn (flickr)

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Source - Ewan Munro (flickr)

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Source:Hannah Swithinbank (Swiv)-Flickr

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Source:Hannah Swithinbank (Swiv)-Flickr

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Source:Hannah Swithinbank (Swiv)-Flickr

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Source: Kake Pugh (flickr)

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Source: Kake Pugh (flickr)

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Source: Kake Pugh (flickr)

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Source: Kake Pugh (flickr)

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Source: Kake Pugh (flickr)

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Source: Kake Pugh (flickr)

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Source: Yukino Miyazawa (flickr)

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Source: Kake Pugh (flickr)

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Source: xpgomes5 (flickr)

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Source:Tomasz Tom Kulbowski (flickr)

^I'd love to while away a day at that bookstore.

Belfast Central Library - Ulster

Belfast is also home to a number of other superb libraries such as the Belfast Free Library, Linen Hall Library and Queen's University Belfast (one of the best Universities in Europe) :)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Belfast_Central_Library

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5057/5...96e653bc_b.jpg
Source - Lara2212 (flickr)

Linen Hall Library - Belfast

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linen_Hall_Library

http://www.linenhall.com/

http://www.hallblackdouglas.co.uk/template2.asp?pid=143

Video Link

http://farm2.staticflickr.com/1193/5...dc9389dd_b.jpg
Source:RedCapicua (flickr)

http://alistair.tv/wp/wp-content/upl...inenhallLG.jpg

As well as Trinity College Dublin Library, the city of Dublin is also home to the Marsh Library (Irelands oldest) and the National Library of Ireland

Marsh Library - Dublin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marsh's_Library

http://www.marshlibrary.ie/

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5292/5...1edc6457_b.jpg
Source: infomatique (flickr)

National Library of Ireland - Dublin

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nationa...ary_of_Ireland

http://www.nli.ie/

http://images.travelpod.com/tripwow/...02aw-24268.jpg
Source

National Library of Ireland Reading Room

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4141/4...ef02c4e0_b.jpg
Source: Dublin City Of Literature (flickr)

LOVE those Leeds libraries. Why am I stuck living in dulllibraryland?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport (Post 5490728)

LOVE those Leeds libraries. Why am I stuck living in dulllibraryland?

I think Illuminati and Freemason conspiracy nuts would have a field day in Leeds, the cities Coat of Arms is an Owl and there are Owls carved everywhere right across the city. :haha:

http://www.leedsowltrail.com/

http://news.bbc.co.uk/local/leeds/hi...00/8718235.stm

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2172/2...fed5795a_b.jpg
Source: Martin Q (flickr)

As for Libraries, there are beautiful libraries right across the world, just thought I would post a few British and Irish ones :)

Enfield Town Library (London) - award winning extension of the 'Carnegie' Enfield Town Library :)

The famous philanthropist Andrew Carnegie built 660 public libraries across the UK.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...ries_in_Europe

http://www.carnegieuktrust.org.uk/ch...e-of-libraries

Quote:

Enfield Town Library

Shepheard Epstein Hunter win Best Built Project - Enfield Town Library - announced last night at the London Planning Awards

Shepheard Epstein Hunter architects' Enfield Town Library was named ‘Best Built Project’ at the London Planning Awards last night, hosted by Boris Johnson, Mayor of London.

Mayor Johnson said: ‘ the new building has turned the library around, both literally and metaphorically’

photo : Peter Durant

Enfield Town library, opened in March 2010 by Sir Andrew Motion, former Poet Laureate, embodies Enfield’s vision of a friendly, accessible and welcoming building, more like a bookshop than a traditional library.

Work started on site in 2009 for the extension, refurbishment and remodelling of the existing much-loved Edwardian library building at the heart of the Enfield Town Conservation Area.

The main public entrance is relocated from Cecil Road to the adjoining Library Green which is used as an ice rink at Christmas and has been improved with fountain, artwork and new planting with habitats for wildlife, including log piles, bat boxes and bird boxes. London Mayor Boris Johnson said ‘the new building has turned the library around, both literally and metaphorically’

The main glazed entrance elevation is like a shop window and faces north, avoiding solar gain, while the other more solid stone elevations shield the library from surrounding traffic noise.

Positioned at the end of the high street the Library has a landmark presence and offers extensive views of the improved Green.

The renewed library has attracted a much wider range of users than previously, particularly in the younger age group.

The old and new buildings are linked with a two storey top-lit atrium that provides natural light into the centre of the plan and helps visitors’ orientation.

The structural concrete frame and soffits of the new extension are exposed.

An array of boreholes sunk some 100m below the Green provides a large portion of the heating and cooling requirements of the building from a renewable energy source.

The building has achieved a BREEAM rating of 'Excellent'.

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/london/enfield_library.htm

• Video Link

http://www.e-architect.co.uk/images/...210111_pd1.jpg
Source: e-architect

http://static.worldarchitecturenews....02-2828-27.jpg
Source: World Architecture News

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Source: World Architecture News

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Source: World Architecture News

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Source: World Architecture News

Gonville & Caius Library - Cambridge

http://www.cai.cam.ac.uk/library

One of the hundreds of college, department and associated libraries which form part of both Cambridge and Oxford Universities vast library system.

http://farm1.staticflickr.com/31/628...ebe24a39_b.jpg
Source: hchalkley (flickr)

Caius Library - University of Cambridge 800th Anniversary (1209 - 2009)

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Source: DSChan (flickr)