Swiss firm Herzog & de Meuron unveiled new renderings for its National Library of Israel, which is now under construction.
Dezeen notes that the 34,000-sm library will have a concave asymmetrical roof with a circular light well in the center. The building’s second level will be much larger and more spacious than the ground level entrance floor. Along with the light well, perforations in the stone-clad exterior will allow in daylight.
"The strong, sculptural form of the stone, related to the specific topography and context of the site, is elevated off the ground, and situated above vitrine like elements," the architects said in a statement. “The stone contains a large open space for the library’s visitors and users to interact while the vitrines expose the collection, reading room and public functions to the street and adjacent surroundings.”
The library will have a circular layout, with bookshelves curving around the hole in the center of the building.
Features include a glass-walled auditorium, a hall, research labs, and offices. It is planned for a landscaped site in Jerusalem next to the Israel Museum, the Science Museum and the Hebrew University.
Construction is expected to be finished by 2020. The Israeli firm Mann Shinar Architects & Planners worked with the Herzog & de Meuron on the design.
Click image to enlarge.
Click image to enlarge.
Click image to enlarge.
Related Stories
Libraries | Jul 1, 2016
Sasaki library survey gauges librarian happiness
Libraries are changing from dull book boxes into vibrant hubs for academic institutions. Sasaki surveyed more than 400 librarians to learn how library staffs interact with and respond to their workspaces.
Cultural Facilities | Jun 30, 2016
Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects selected to design Obama Presidential Center in Chicago
With experience designing cultural and academic facilities, Williams and Tsien got the nod over other search finalists like Renzo Piano, SHoP, and Adjaye Associates.
Building Team Awards | May 19, 2016
Chinatown library unites and serves two emerging Chicago neighborhoods
The 16,000-sf, pebble-shaped Chinatown Branch Library was built at the intersection of new and old Chinatown neighborhoods. The goal is for the building to unite the communities and serve as a catalyst for the developing area.
Libraries | Apr 18, 2016
Best in Library Design: AIA names seven projects 2016 Library Building Awards winners
Snøhetta’s Ryerson University student center and the Billings (Mont.) Public Library by Will Bruder+Partners highlight the seven winning projects.
Libraries | Jan 26, 2016
Snøhetta designs research library at Temple University
The firm emphasized collaborative spaces, but the library will have room for plenty of books as well.
| Jan 14, 2016
How to succeed with EIFS: exterior insulation and finish systems
This AIA CES Discovery course discusses the six elements of an EIFS wall assembly; common EIFS failures and how to prevent them; and EIFS and sustainability.
Libraries | Aug 27, 2015
Barack Obama Foundation begins search for presidential library architect
Both national and foreign firms will compete for chance to design the Chicago-based Presidential Center.
Libraries | Apr 29, 2015
Designs for earthquake-resistant New Central Library in New Zealand unveiled
The Danish firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects won the competition to design the New Central Library in Christchurch, New Zealand, which will replace the old building damaged by devastating earthquakes in 2010 and 2011.
Cultural Facilities | Apr 7, 2015
Mies’ Martin Luther King Jr. Library to get makeover
The architects say the modernization aims to improve “Mies in a contemporary Miesian way.”
Libraries | Apr 2, 2015
6 award-winning libraries showcase next-gen design strategies
The new Cedar Rapids Public Library and the restored Slover Library in Norfolk, Va., are among six breakthrough projects honored with 2015 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards.
