library of the university of amsterdam - new interior by studio roelof mulder and bureay ira koers
all images courtesy studio roelof mulder and bureay ira koers

a library whose decor no longer consists of books has been turned into a ‘home’ in
which to study. the UVA’s (university of amsterdam) enormous collection of books is
kept in closed repositories, book depots and at various open locations. a growing number
of students, anywhere from 1500 to 5000, visit the university library every day in order
to study and pick up their digitally ordered books. despite plans for a new building in
the future, the university wished to have a new, temporary interior design for the 2500 m2
space that would comprise study rooms plus 235 extra workspaces, the canteen,
the information centre with its desk, the hallways, and an automated lending area.











to offer students a good second home, studio roelof mulder and bureay ira koers to
achieve two important things: a space like the white page of a book where the students
themselves would play the main role in determining how it is filled in, and in certain
areas a domestic atmosphere where the students could also study informally. in one
of the study rooms you will find a number of kitchen tables where you can work in groups
under the lamp, a chesterfield couch for reading a newspaper, various sitting areas for
a short break and special telephone areas in the hallways between the quiet study rooms.
the columns in the canteen are transformed into illuminated trees with low energy
light bulbs.









until recently, borrowed books could only be picked up at the library desk during
office hours. now the students can pick up their ordered books themselves in a newly
designed red room that is open until midnight, including weekends. in red cases with
1105 red crates, piles of books lie ready for the borrowers. because these books come
from different locations, this is the heart of the university library, with a back office
hidden from view in which the books are readied for self-service with the RFID system.






























ira koers and roelof mulder's design for the new interior of the university of amsterdam,
has been nominated for the great indoors award 2009.