Dutch architects [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] have unveiled their design for the new library in Birmingham, England.

Library of Birmingham will be built on Centenary Square and is due to open in 2013.

Renderings above are copyright [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.].

Here’s some info from Birmingham City Council:
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DESIGNS UNVEILED FOR £193 MILLION NEW LIBRARY OF BIRMINGHAM BY MECANOO ARCHITECTEN
Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council, today unveiled the
design concepts for the new £193 million Library of Birmingham by the
internationally acclaimed Dutch architects Mecanoo Architecten.
The Library of Birmingham, opening in 2013, will occupy a prime site
on Centenary Square, the city’s largest public square, acting as the
flagship for the regeneration of Birmingham, and celebrating the
‘Global City with a Local Heart’.
Sited between the 1970s Birmingham Repertory Theatre and the 1930s
Baskerville House, the new Library of Birmingham will “bring the spoken
and written word together to inspire creativity and discovery.” The
31,000 sq metres building will provide 20% more space than the existing
Birmingham Central Library and will be capable of taking up to 10,000
visitors a day.
The highly transparent glass building wrapped in a delicate metal
filigree, is inspired by the rich history of Birmingham, with its
tradition of craftsmanship and industry. The generous shared entrance
to the Library and the REP will be sheltered below a public balcony,
creating a magnificent space to watch events in the square. Above the
balcony, the building volume steps away, creating a second open-air
space, an elevated garden with panoramic views. At the summit, the
rooftop rotunda will offer spectacular views over the entire city.
The interplay of overlapping rotundas inside the building will
create constantly changing vistas as visitors ascend to the public
levels, not only aiding navigation but also bringing light and
ventilation throughout. The highest levels of energy efficiency will be
achieved through the buffering capacity of the building mass and the
atria and the use of sun shading and reflective materials.
A grand circular open-air amphitheatre in front of the building will
create a dramatic visual link between the Library at Lower Ground Level
and Centenary Square, providing natural light and a sheltered outdoor
space for staging events.
The REP will be renovated and equipped with updated back of house
facilities, new workshops and new staff accommodation. In addition,
brand new foyers and a new 300 seat studio theatre will be created to
be shared between the REP and the Library.
The new Library of Birmingham will be a library designed to function
around the rapidly developing digital technologies, creating new
opportunities for learning and access, and providing a social heart for
Birmingham’s diverse community.
The Library of Birmingham development is a flagship project of the
Big City Plan, focusing on the regeneration of the city, the most
far-reaching city centre development project ever undertaken in the UK.
The Big City Plan will drive forward the next 20 years of development
in central Birmingham to revive and open up whole areas of the city
with a £17 billion investment and the aim of creating 43,000 jobs for
Birmingham people.
The launch of the design concepts for the Library of Birmingham
marks the start of a major programme of public engagement and
consultation, reaching out to Birmingham’s many communities.
Construction work will start on site in 2010.
The Library of Birmingham development team is led on behalf of the
City of Birmingham by Project Managers, Capita Symonds and will be
built by Carillion.
Mike Whitby, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said today: “Despite
the global economic slowdown, demand for and confidence in Birmingham
has never been higher. The new Library of Birmingham will be an iconic
landmark, and a testament to the role Birmingham will play in the 21st
century as a truly global city. The new designs are further evidence of
our intention to attract world-class architects to work with the City,
and these designs support our ambition to create a building which will
bring people together, nurture creativity, allow far greater access to
our cultural heritage, and act as a focal hub within the city and the
region.”
Francine Houben, Founding Partner of Mecanoo Architecten, said: “I
am inspired by the energy of this great city. I hope that the adventure
of going through the building will draw many more people towards the
joy of learning and reading, and even just to simply experience the
pleasure of social interaction that a great public space can provide.”
Brian Gambles, Head of Birmingham Library Service said: “Libraries
represent the memory and identity of a city. Today, as a global city,
Birmingham needs its new library to encapsulate its soul, its optimism
and its rich culture and to meet the demands of a progressive library
service for all.”
Stuart Rogers, Executive Director, Birmingham Repertory Theatre,
said: “We are delighted with the highly imaginative way that Mecanoo
are planning to link the distinctive and much-loved Birmingham
Repertory Theatre with the new Library of Birmingham. The new
facilities will allow both of us to work creatively together and
thereby keep Birmingham’s unique cultural offer amongst the greatest in
the world.”

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Posted by Marcus Fairs from dezeen.com