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The new Library of Birmingham
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Top architect Richard Rogers has unveiled his vision for a new landmark
building following the city�s nomination for European Capital of Culture
in 2008.
He described the �130m steel and glass structure as resembling a giant leaf floating over the city. The new Library of Birmingham would have a rooftop �sky garden� and sit at the heart of a new city centre park. Lord Rogers, designer of the Millennium Dome, produced the concept designs after winning a competition among some of the world�s best architectural practices.
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Outlining details of the new complex, Lord Rogers told the Birmingham Post
that the 300 metres long elliptical building could become the city`s
answer to the Paris Pompidou Centre which he also designed.
"The Pompidou is the most visited public building in Europe, and two thirds of those visitors come to use the library and a third to the museum," he said. "There`s no reason it should not be the same in Birmingham. "We are extremely excited by the building as a team. We believe it`s our best public building since the Pompidou Centre. Of course, we really enjoyed building the Dome, but here we`ve actually got something to put in it. |
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"The new Library of Birmingham, destined for completion in 2007, will
stretch from the current Park Street Gardens in a north-easterly
direction, with the furthest tip in front of the old Curzon Street Station
shortly to become the new home of the Royal College of Organists.
The lozenge-shaped building - which will total 4,000 square metres of floor space arranged over four storeys - will be fronted on the north-west side with a curtain wall of glass overlooking a new landscaped park, which will extend the existing park all down the side of the building as far as Millennium Point. The south-eastern side of the building will be shielded from sun and the noise of the railway viaduct it abuts by a sweeping, curved building likely to house shops, offices and cafes - creating a semi-enclosed "street" area between it and the library. Independent girders reaching through the building will support a suspended canopy, which will extend beyond the main building to provide shelter and shade in the open areas beneath, while sloping down to the centre to form the roof of the main building - where it will become a grassy park area complete with places for reading and study. Birmingham city council cabinet member Ian Ward hailed the new Library as "a landmark building that will stand alongside the great libraries in the major cities throughout the world�it will have galleries and interactive facilities for every kind of learning and creative experience, ensuring that the archives and collections related to the city�s heritage remain in Birmingham. Richard Rogers Partnership�s scheme will give the people of Birmingham the world-class library that they deserve, boosting the city�s growing reputation as a cultural centre and strengthening our bid to be European Capital of Culture 2008."
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although the current library has been a success story - it is the city�s
busiest public building attracting over 5,000 visitors a day - the
building is not fully accessible for people with disabilities and does not
lend itself to the use of new and emerging technologies. There are serious
faults in the infrastructure of the building, which could cost up to
�24m to rectify. The city archives and other collections are held in
conditions that fall below national standards for storage and conservation
and unless there is an improvement they could be removed from Birmingham.
The new Library is part of the regeneration of Birmingham that includes developments by other internationally acclaimed architectural practices, including Future Systems` Selfridges building now under construction and Edward Cullinan Architects� design for the first phase of the Masshouse development. In addition, Will Alsop has recently won the contract for a redesign of New Street Station. |
