bradley edwards, architect
Author Bradley Edwards
Type Competition proposal - addition to the
Stockholm Library
Competition date 2006
Site footprint 230,000
ft.2
Building
Size 258,000
ft.2
Location Stockholm,
Sweden
Taking a cue from the beauty and simplicity of the original
Gunnar Asplund Library spatial sequence, the new entry to
the library takes the user into a large centralized
ceremonial space which acts as a destination but also
serves as circulation hub to the “wings” of the building.
The new main entrance of the library is along Odengaten is
at the same level of the rotunda level. Upon entering the
building and moving into the main space, one is presented
with a grand stair which accesses all public levels of the
library and forms the essence of the proposal. It is the
center of public activity in the library and the pivot
point in which the user is directed to its purpose. The
stair provides an alibi for exploring publicly active space
generated by “amphitheatre” seating coinciding with the
stair proper and acting as informal study and lecture nodes
along each landing. Keeping Annexes 2 and 3 were important
not only because of their historical significance but
because of cost. The proposal leaves the annexes untouched
with the exception of vertical circulation and roof access
to the new addition. The annexes also act as form
generators to large parts of the library addition. The
scheme inherits its pervasive “thinness” from the annexes
coincidental with Stockholm’s prevalent building typology
of thin building profiles to allow maximum light into
interior spaces. The thin “wings” of the building stretch
across the site and confiscate significant views of the
Asplund building as well as views of the greater urban
area. They also act as secondary entrances from the
Diligentia property and Observatory Hill. The connection to
the existing library is achieved through a Travertine
plinth that formally separates the two ceremonial spaces
but functionally connects the three large spaces through
primary public activities. There are two primary axes that
exist in the proposal. The first is the existing axis
established from the Sveavagen entrance, through the
rotunda, and continued through the sky lit plinth and into
the grand stair. The second axis begins at the Odengaten
entrance and moves up the grand stair and out onto
Observatory hill.