PUBLIC LIBRARY, ALMELO
The new public library is situated in the centre of Almelo, a city in the east of the Netherlands. Dynamically shaped and contrasting in materials the building functions as an icon in the city. The building occupies historic grounds. Until the mid sixties the area was dominated by the spacious textile industry along the canal ‘Haven Noordzijde’. Although not in function, the remains recall this history. Beside this the site is defined by the city hall build in 1973 as the last design of J.J.P. Oud who died ten years earlier.
Almelo was in search of an eye catcher, a link in these fragmentized surroundings, a building with a face; a clearly organized public service building. The council decided to build a library on this location. The outside of the building should contribute to the quality of the centre area while the conveniently arranged interior was going to be spacious, transparent and cosy.
Designing a public library contains a contradiction. The building should invite the audience while the managing of books demands total security. This dualistic approach became the guide to the design.
In this project Mecanoo deliberately choose for the spatial articulation of the diverse program like the centre for current information, the ‘reading café’, a studio for the local radio, reading tables and a book storage. The essence of the assignment was found by superimposing the three conceptual layers as independent interventions consisting of a complex city centre, a diverse program and the requested spaciousness and tracing the lost and newly created connections. The choise of the different materials is subject to this method.
The library anticipates the diversity of the situation. It connects the ‘Haven Noordzijde’ and a street ‘het Baken’ with the city hall. The building consists of two volumes with split levelled floors separated by a void. Criss-crossing the relatively narrow void, stairs run connecting the different levels revealing the dynamics of the space.
The volumes differ in shape and material. An elongated volume consists on the ground floor of a saw-toothed façade contrasting the closed higher positioned floors. The three enclosed smaller volumes end in a wide one storey high glazed wall. The building runs along the curved street with its copper cladded front. The roof extension covered with zinc opposite the city hall is shaped as a separate volume. Due to the deviating material of the Mecanoo-blue glass of the end façade and the dark coloured copper of the street side the library stands in a modest dialogue with the building of the architect Oud. The library has a surprising and complex look, while the interiour offers a clear and functional roof to the users.
The distinct shape of the building has an important organisational background. The diversity of functions is conveniently arranged by giving each part its own identity. The larger continuing spaces of the elongated volume are used for public purposes emphasized by the ground floor. On higher levels the publicity is replaced by a more private atmosphere. The most specific functions are placed in the lobes of the saw-toothed façade. The different atmospheres in the building are underlined by the special bookcases and the diversity of reading corners as well as the lighting, the use of material and choice of colour. Literally the building is clear as well. Because of the void the different parts of the library are distinguished in their coherence.
