“The Heart of the Metropolis” is an international competition (2012) for the achievement of the new Helsinki Central Library, in Finland. In terms of both the cityscape and its symbolic significance, the Central Library is located in the very centre of Helsinki, The Toolonlahti area. The new building is expected to form a cohesive totality with the Finnish Parliament building, Helsinki Music Centre, Finlandia Hall, Sanoma House and Kiasma Museum of Contemporary Art. The design concept aims to be both simple and spectacular: i’s about a huge box, hollow on the main front in which there is a terrace. Within this huge void there is a glass sphere of eighteen meters diameter, hosting a caféteria. The sphere wants to be a landmark for the whole area and the heart of the new building, instantly recognizable as well as an unforgettable experience for every visitor. The new Central Library will be much more than a traditional library. It will be a dynamic entity comprised of the physical spaces themselves as well as technology, library collections, staff, cooperation partners and clients. Of central importance is the benefit gained from new technologies. The Central Library is not supposed to be just a physical space but also a new kind of digital library serving its clients in the library itself as well as via the internet, ubiquitously spreading out into its surroundings.
Vista terrazza
© Andrea Valeriani . Published on March 23, 2013.