This is the first of a series of 4 posts on public libraries, three are situated in Europe and one in Australia.
While visiting Stuttgart, after touring both the Mercedes-Benz museum (posted here) and the Porsche Museum (post to come), we decided to check out the public library that is recognized as a landmark in the Europaviertel (European Quarter) of this German city.
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Completed in 2011 by Korean architect Eun Young Yi (construction commencing in 2009), the library stands out for its modern, minimalist aesthetic. The building’s cubic form features a striking white facade, creating a focal point opposite the plaza and its minimalist fountains.
Click on the photos to get a bigger and better view.
The building’s layout is meticulously symmetrical, which contributes to its orderly but sterile appearance. The central part of the building is a large, open space which serves as a reading room and social area. The interior is dominated by white surfaces, enhancing the sense of light and space.
The open-plan space provides a visually stunning environment for browsing and studying.
With large windows that allow light to flood the rooms at its perimeter, the building is illuminated at night, from within, creating a glowing cube effect.
The library features a public roof terrace offering panoramic views of Stuttgart. We did not know about it at the time of our visit. The terrace serves as a unique space for relaxation and contemplation. The design was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome, emphasizing the idea of a temple of knowledge. The library also has a hole (the oculus) in its roof like the Pantheon.
The public library hosts numerous cultural events, workshops, and exhibitions, making it a vibrant community hub.
The several floors of the main reading room have become Instagram hotspots since there were tourists posing against the handrail, looking pensively over the atrium.
We can’t help but think of the stairs in Escher’s drawings.
What was fascinating to me (Chris) in the library is a book-processing mechanism which scans returned books, transports them to an automatic sorting area and then directs the sorted books to reshelving carts or drop-off points near their respective shelves.
The perimeter of the main reading area are a series of rooms, some are opened with shelves and some closed for use as offices. It was almost a surprise to see a human librarian working at one of the station.
They have a small collection of non-German language books: English sci-fi novels and Chinese (click photo for a close-up view)
Considering that physical book is a relatively old technology for storing and transmitting information, it is interesting to see the installation here of sophisticated automated systems for processing and distributing content in this traditional format.
There are checkout machines for borrowing books and media. There is even a “pigeon-hole” system for lending pre-selected books to the sleepless (Bibliothek für Schlaflose) while the library is closed.
This library is indeed a landmark, spearheading the development of Mailänder Platz which is located near Stuttgart’s central train station (Hauptbahnhof). The area already has the Milaneo shopping center, office and residential buildings. It exemplifies the city’s efforts to create a connected, livable, and innovative urban environment.
This is the first of a series of 4 posts on public libraries. This one is in Germany, the others are in France, Italy and Australia. The posts are coming soon.