Report
Introduction
I set out to research 5 libraries that were architecturally signifcant and could inspire the viewer to want to enter them. My research has shown that from the five libraries I chose, there were some similar and different charachteristics that were revealed. It is beyond the scope of this report to comment on the obvious limitations imposed by a broad subjective topic and limited data obtained, so I will focus on the key similarities and differences between the library I can discern from my research. They will be building shape and viewer impact, materials used, intention of the architect and use of art.
There were differences between the building shapes and how that might impact on a viewer. The Geisel library and the Belarus library both had a roundish non-box like shape, both shaped in way that might draw a viewer's gaze towards the front door. In contrast, the Royal Danish Library and Royal library both were solid rectangular shapes, which might invoke in a viewer a greater sense of stability or permanence. The seatle library as shown here,
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| Seattle Library (source : Wikipedia) |
was a less symetrical shape than the oher buildings, and curiously, my research showed it was the only building that created strong mixed reactions in the public when it opened.
There was a high use of glass in all five libraries I looked at. With the exception of the Giesel library, all other libraries were built in the last 13 years, which may account for the trend in high glass use. Through my research, I found this video of Royal Danish Library (known as the black diamond), which demonstrates well the reflective nature of glass and the visual affects it can create.
Royal Danish Library - Source: Youtube
The architect's intentions in their building design, was a key area I was interested in researching. Through extensive research, I was able to obtain two of the architects ideas, Fou Futisomo who designed the Musashino Art University Museaum & Library and Joshua Prince-Ramus a key architect of the Seattle Library. Both architects expressed the idea that they wanted to design a space which people could expand into, that would help people be more creative and connect. I have reproduced Joshua Prince-Ramus's interview below, because it offers a great insight into the mind of an architect.
The use of art to enhance the Library going experience was a key finding in my research. Fou Fujimoto's symbolic use of empty shelving can be seen to be artistic. George Tsutakawa sculpture in front of the Seattle library, Per Kirkeby's fresco in the Royal Danish library and John Baldessari's entrance to the Geisel library (as shown below) are all examples of art used to enhance the library going experience, which my research yielded.
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| Giesel library entrance :SourceWikimedia |
Conclusion
Researching five different libraries from around the world, 2 academic libraries, 2 National libraries and 1 public library, gave findings which would be of interest to anyone considering visiting any of these libraries or perhaps inspired to do so. Through my research, I was able to touch the surface of each of these libraries, in terms of the architect's intentions in some cases, in terms of the visual impact of the building, the use of art to enhance the experience and the types of materials that were used. Hopefully it was a bit thought provoking!
References:
Arch Daily 2011, Musashino Art University Museum & Library / Sou Fujimoto, Arch Daily, viewed 2 June 2012, http://www.archdaily.com/145789/musashino-art-university-museum-library-sou-fujimoto/
College of Art and Design 2012, Musashino University, viewed 2 June 2012, <http://mauml.musabi.ac.jp/>
Gregory, R 2010, '165 Musashino Art University Library. (Sou Fujimoto Architects)', The Architectural Review, vol. 228, no. 228, pp. 42, Gale Cengate, viewed 2 June 2012.
Pollock, N 2011, Musashino Art University Museum & Library, Architectural Record, viewed 2 June 2012, http://archrecord.construction.com/projects/building_types_study/libraries/2011/musashino.asp
Sou Fujimoto 2012, Architects, viewed 2 June 2012, <http://www.sou-fujimoto.net/>
Sou Fujimoto, on designing a library on the age of information 2012, Archdaily, viewed 2 June, <http://vimeo.com/21702196#t=12>
Tanaka, J 2010, Spiral of Life: The Musashino Art University Museum & Library Academia edu, viewed 2 June 2012, http://utokyo.academia.edu/JunTanaka/Papers/373615/Spiral_of_Life_The_Musashino_Art_University_Museum_and_Library
Sullivan, M 2011, 'George Tsutakawa Fountain at the Downtown Seattle Public Library', Councelor@law,v iewed 8 June 2012 <http://www.wac6.com/wac6/2011/06/george-tsutakawa-fountain-at-the-downtown-seattle-public-library.html>
Rahner, M 2008, 'Talking with Rem Koolhaas, the architect behind the Central Library', The Seatle Times, 9 September 2008, viewed 8 June 2012, <http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/entertainment/2008167399_remkoolhaas09.html>
Alessandroi A & De Cindi F 2008, 'Augmented Urban Spaces: Articulating the Physical and Electronic City' Ashgate Publishing, EBL Ebook Library, viewed 8 June 2012.
Seattle public library 2009, Seattle Public Library, 13 March, viewed 8 June 2012, <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lp11MtnWmUo&feature=related>
Carlson LA, Hölscher C, Shipley TF and Dalton RC 2010, 'Getting Lost in Buildings', Current Directions in Psychological Science, vol. 19, no.5, pp. 284-289, SAGE premier, viewed 8 June 2012.
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Rex ny 2012,Wikipedia, viewed 8 June 2012, <http://www.rex-ny.com/work/seattle-library/>.
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.E-architect, 'Sort Diamand, Copenhagen, Denmark : Information', viewed 8 June 2012, <http://www.e-architect.co.uk/copenhagen/sort_diamant_copenhagen.htm>.
Labalme, C 1999, 'Travel Advisory; A Diamond for Denmark's Library', the new york times, 17 October 1999, Academic Onefile, viewed 9 June 2012.
ArcSpace, 'schmidt hammer lassen K/S The Black Diamond The Royal Library Extension Copenhagen, Denmark', viewed 8 June 2012, <http:/www.arcspace.com/architects/schmidt_hammer_lassen/royal_lib/index.html>.
E-architect, 'Sort Diamand, Copenhagen, Denmark : Information', viewed 8 June 2012, <http://www.e-architect.co.uk/copenhagen/sort_diamant_copenhagen.htm.>.
Wikipedia, 'Royal Danish Library', viewed 8 June 2012, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Danish_library>.
Wikipedia, 'Royal Danish Library', viewed 8 June 2012, <http://www.tate.org.uk/whats-on/tate-modern/exhibition/kirkeby>.
Wikipedia, 'Royal Danish Library', viewed 8 June 2012, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Per_Kirkeby>.
Copenhagen Library...Sundappled 2011, viewed 8 June 2012, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09lXl1Zxw74.
Latimer, K & Cranfield, A 2007, ' Building for the Future: National and Academic Libraries from Around the Globe: report on a conference held in The Hague 3–5 October 2007', IFLA Official Journal of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions, vol 34, no. 4, pp. 359-362, viewed 10 June 2012, <http://ifla.queenslibrary.org/V/iflaj/IFLA-Journal-4-2008.pdf#page=39>.
Motulsky, R 2007, 'The National Library of Belarus: a new stage of development'', IFLA Journal, vol. 33, no. 4, pp. 327-334, viewed 10 June 2012, <http://ifl.sagepub.com/content/33/4.toc>.
National Library of Belarus, viewed 10 June 2012, <http://old.nlb.by/eng/default.asp?item=1&id=6>.
National Library of Belarus 2012, Wikipedia, viewed 10 June 2012, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Library_of_Belarus
Rhombicuboctahedron 2012, Wikipedia, viewed 10 June 2012, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhombicuboctahedron>.
Presentation 2012, National Library of Belarus, viewed 10 June 2012,<http://old.nlb.by/navigator_eng/Biblio_pres_03.html>.
Belarus-Minsk-New National Library-2.jpg 2012, Wikipedia, viewed 10 June 2012, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Belarus-Minsk-New_National_Library-2.jpg>.
Pacioli.jpg 2012, Wikipedia, viewed 10 June 2012, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Pacioli.jpg>.
Shoenly, J 2000, The Geisel Library : Concrete Expressionism, Jetsetmodern, viewed 12 June 2012, <http://jetsetmodern.com/geisel.htm>.
Davies D 2008, Geisel Library named among 25 most modern libraries in world, University of California, viewed 12 June 2012, <http://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/article/18246>.
Wong K 2012, 'Odd Architecture of UCSD’s', Geisel Library Lends Itself to Popular Culture', A construction and architecture blog by Kelsey Wong, 'viewed 12 June 2012, <http://constructinglajolla.wordpress.com/2012/05/24/odd-architecture-of-ucsds-geisel-library-lends-itself-to-popular-culture-20-2/>.
Geisel Library 2012, Wikipedia, viewed 12 June 2012, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geisel_Library>.
Brutalist architecture 2012, Wikipedia, viewed 12 June, 2012, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brutalist_architecture>.
About the Geisel library building 2012, UC San Diego, viewed 12 June 2012, <http://libraries.ucsd.edu/about/geisel-building.html>.
UCtelevision 2008, 'READ/WRITE/THINK/DREAM : An installation by John Baldessari 2008, viewed 12 June 2012, <http://stuartcollection.ucsd.edu/artists/baldessari.shtml>.
William Pereira 2012, Wikipedia, viewed 12 June 2012, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Pereira>.
Geisel-Library.jpg 2012, Wikipedia, viewed 12 June 2012, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Geisel-Library.jpg>.
Read-Write-Think-Dream Interior, UCSD.JPG 2012, Wikipedia, viewed 12 June 2012, <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Read-Write-Think-Dream_Interior,_UCSD.JPG>.
