JDS architects: helsinki public library proposal

‘helsinki public library’ by JDS architects, helsinki, finlandall images courtesy of JDS architects

belgian practice JDS architects has produced a proposal for the ‘helsinki public library’ in the current design capital of the world, helsinki, finland.permeable and transparent, the exterior expresses the rising internal circulation by shifting inwards and outwards. dubbed ‘the black loop’, a single ramp wraps an interior atrium to generate a continuous path connecting the successive levels of collections. the arrangement is a contemporary update to the traditional stacked floors of old libraries with the addition of an attractive promenade. 

view from park

collections

aerial view

context plan

floor plan / level 0

floor plan / level 1

floor plan / level 2

floor plan / level 3

section

elevation

elevation

site surroundings

site

building area

daylight enters atrium

sloping promenade

horizontal shifts

horizontal pinches

stacked levels

programmatic axon

facade closed

partially twisted

fully twisted

project info:

project: public librarytype: open international competitionsize: 16.000 m2client: city of helsinkistatus: settled 2012location: helsinki, finlandteam: buro happold JDS partner in charge: juilen de smedt project leader: andrew griffin project team: francisco villeda, chris yuan, amanda ripoll, mathilde claus, byeongmoo moon