Library in Vennesla
Modern municipal libraries are not just places for peaceful study. They are more likely to be public meeting places, as this one in southern Norway shows with its in-house cafe. The large glazed facade that opens on to the pedestrian zone at the north-eastern end offers a sheltered outdoor sitting area in the form of an urban loggia, while the strip-like sunshading elements to the south-western face lend the building a uniform appearance. The ample internal space draws its identity from the load-bearing structure, which consists of laminated timber members. These striking architectural elements wind their way through the entire building, their form matched to the spatial geometry and the functional needs of the library.
