LIBRARIES WITH A DIFFERENCE
Added on: 5th Sep 2015
26. VILLANUEVA PUBLIC LIBRARY, COLOMBIA
Perhaps the most famous of Colombia’s new libraries is the
Villanueva Public Library, which was constructed using not only
locally sourced materials, but also by the people of the village.
Stones were gathered from nearby rivers and sustainable wood
from nearby forests, and local people were trained to help
construct the building. The design, created by four nearby college
students, focuses on natural ventilation and plenty of shade to keep
the interior nice and cool. All of these cost-cutting measures went a long
way in helping a truly impoverished area secure a much-needed library.
CENTRAL LIBRARY OF VANCOUVER, CANADA
Many modern building designs are based on historical icons,
but few of these designs focus on the ruins rather than the
original. The Central Library of Vancouver is an exception. Based
on the Roman Coliseum, this massive building takes up one full
city block and features not only a library with 1.3 million reference
materials, but also retail shops, restaurants, a parking
structure, office buildings and a rooftop garden.
LIBRARY OF PARLIAMENT, CANADA
The Library of Parliament was once part of the city’s
original Parliamentary headquarters constructed in 1876.
The building had been under construction for ten years before
it was revealed that the builders didn’t know how to create a
domed roof as seen in the plans. To get around this issue,
the Tomas Fairbairn Engineering Company of England was
commissioned to create a pre-fabricated dome. As a result,
the building had the distinction of being the first building in North
America to have a wrought iron roof. The unique Gothic building
is so iconic that today it is even featured on the Canadian
ten-dollar bill.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS, USA
The Library of Congress is the largest library in the entire world
as ranked by both shelf space and number of books. Among its
several buildings, the oldest is the Thomas Jefferson Building,
which just might be the most beautiful structure in the library system.
Completed in 1897, the library's neoclassical style features some
of the most intricate interiors of any building in the U.S.,
including murals and sculptures from a variety of classically-trained
American artists. Interestingly, the building’s exterior was even
more lavish than it is now, as it was originally gilded, but this was
criticized as it was believed to draw attention away from the
Capitol Building. These days, the roof consists merely of
copper that has aged to a sea green shade.
STEPHEN A. SCHWARZMAN LIBRARY, USA
You might recognize this National Historical Landmark, better known
simply as the “New York Public Library,” by the two stone lions
guarding the building (known as either Lord Astor and Lady Lenox
or Patience and Fortitude). Inside, the wooden shelves, frescoed
ceilings and grand chandeliers give the entire building an old-world feel.
Completed in 1911, the library featured more than 75 miles of
shelves when it was first opened. The collection still managed to
grow too large for its home by 1970, so the library was expanded
by adding an underground area that extends under nearby Bryant Park.
FREDERICK FERRIS THOMPSON MEMORIAL LIBRARY
IN VASSAR COLLEGE, USA
This massive Gothic structure consists of three wings and a
central tower, and now houses around a million books, 7500
periodicals, and a massive microfilm and microfiche collection.
While the main tower is quite striking, the most famous part of
the library is the enormous stained glass window in the West Wing
showing Elena Cornaro Piscopia, the first woman to earn a
doctorate in Europe, receiving her degree from the University of Padua.
JAY WALKER'S PRIVATE LIBRARY, USA
Priceline.com founder Jay Walker's gorgeous wooden library,
filled with an array of historical and pop culture artefacts, has
been labelled by Wired as "the most amazing library in the world.”
As if the gorgeous etched glass, labyrinthine design and multiple
stories of book shelves weren’t impressive enough, the
collection of rarities stored in the library is completely mesmerizing.
Between books bound in rubies, a Sputnik, a chandelier from
Die Another Day, and a list of plague mortalities from 1665,
visitors to the private library might just have a hard time leaving.
HAROLD WASHINGTON LIBRARY, USA
This modern library design takes new construction techniques
and applies them to neoclassical building styles. The result is a
vintage look with a modern twist. The red brick base perfectly
balances the glass rooftop adorned with seven massive aluminium
adornments. Best of all, the designers took their inspiration from
other famous Chicago buildings, ensuring the whole structure fits in
perfectly with its surroundings.
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