vennesla library and cultural centre' by helen & hard in vennesla, norway
all images courtesy helen & hard
image © emile ashley


norwegian practice helen & hard (siv helene stangeland, reinhard kropf) has shared with us images of
'vennesla library and cultural center', a multi-level public facility in vennesla, norway. serving as
a spatial connector between an existing community house, learning center, and a public square,
the design is a direct result of the synergetic coupling of structures, manifesting as a series of gradually shifting ribs
that provide structure in addition to furniture and storage for technical devices.



image © emile ashley


focusing on creating an inviting public domain, the library brings the city life into and through the building.
a large glass facade serves as an open interface between the interior and the city's main square,
while an urban loggia provides sheltered outdoor seating for visitors. in order to reduce the energy needs
of all three buildings, two long facades of the existing structures were used to minimize on total surface of
the exterior walls. all new walls, floors and roof have been equipped with high-standard energy solutions.



image © emile ashley

 

image © emile ashley


accommodating for specific functional demands of the library's different departments, the interior's circulation
and layout is defined by twenty-six structural ribs. each building component consists of a glue-laminated
timber beam and column, CNC-routered plywood boards, acoustic absorbents, air conditioning ducts,
and bent glass panes for lighting. intimate reading niches are generated between members, with shelving and
storage built in to their structure. a direct result of the undulating ribs, the geometries of the roof exhibit sharp
angles and corners, contrasting with the organic aesthetic of the interior. vertically-running slats control
the level of daylight intake while maintaining visibility.



image © emile ashley



image © emile ashley




image © emile ashley


exterior
image © emile ashley




image © emile ashley



image © emile ashley



image © emile ashley



image © emile ashley



site map



floor plan / level -1



floor plan / level 0 



floor plan / level +1