ARCHIVE

Article from issue 5/2001 »Roof Structures«

Library in Alexandria

documentation p. 901 - 903
Architect Snøhetta AS | Snøhetta Hamza Consortium | Structural Engineer Hamza Associates |

Drafts
Plan, Section 1:2000
Section 1:20
Sections, Top view of roof 1:100

Thanks to the support of the Egyptian government, the UNESCO and numerous private sponors from Arab countries, the famous library of Alexandria, where many scholars of the ancient Greek world studied, has now been recreated in modern form. An international competition was held in 1989, and the Norwegian registered winner was commissioned with the planning in 1993. After 7 years of construction, the library – one of the largest in the world today – has now been completed. The central feature of thedesign is the huge, inclined, circular roof structure, which slopes down to the sea and issurrounded in part by a pool of water. The roof form makes reference to the sun worship of the ancient Egyptians and is also a symbol ofenlightenment in the world.