Libraries | Library design | Community outreach
by Diana Budds
Libraries are like the Madonnas of the
architectural world–changing, evolving, and morphing with the times. Now
they’re in the midst of a technological reinvention.
And as they shed their physical media and go digital, libraries’ most
significant contribution to a community is often not as a repository of
books–but a beacon that draws people together.
Thionville–a
city in Northeastern France near the Luxembourg border–opened a new
library last year that embodies this shift. Designed by the
Strasbourg-based firm Dominique Coulon and Associates,
the space is brimming with details designed to foster a sense of
community. The architects hope it becomes the city’s collective living
room; to appeal to the different types of people who might use the
library, they filled it with lots of unique moments, like rooms that
have distinctive personalities, differing furniture, and plenty of
outdoor spaces. Read more...
