Ideenwettbewerb zur Entwicklung einer Stadtbibliothek für das 21. Jahrhundert
Cork, Irland; März 2003
An open friendly space with as few defined rooms as possible to maintain a maximum of flexibility to attract all kinds of people- the Library of the Future.
Bubbles of different sizes are placed freely into a volume. They are the heart of the new library. Together with two cores, they form the fixed points of the building and structure it. While the cores take in all the services needed, the bubbles house a variaty of contents. Depending on their size, they function as individual studies, reading rooms, lecture hall, theatre, cinema… Because they are not restricted to a single floor but sometimes punch through to another level, they also connect the floors with a secondary path.
The different departments of the library float around the bubbles. As there are no walls to devide the floors, every department can take up just the space it needs in a certain period of time. Because of this “shop- in- shop” system, the library can easily adjust to new ideas and needs, without disturbing or interrupting its every day use.