Calgarys Central Library (project stage)
Architect: Snøhetta
Year: 2013
Location: Calgary, Canada
Category: Cultural / Library
Status: Built
About
Convinced of the importance of engaging the community from the outset, the design for the city’s new library building was completed after two years of conversations with the local community. The new facility, built over an existing Light Rail Train line, is a technologically advanced public space for innovation, research and collaboration. It is located between Downtown Calgary and the East Village, and connects the two neighborhoods by way of a wood-clad arched entrance and an urban landscape transformed into a topography of squares and terraces. Inside, the lobby with its sunlit atrium marks the starting point of a visit to the library. The program is organized so that the more engaging public programs are on the ground floors, and quieter study areas are on the third and fourth floors. The facade utilizes a unique geometry and distribution of clear and fritted glass openings to control desired daylight levels for the interior spaces: highly transparent zones attract public interest while closed areas provide more focused study spaces. Construction is expected to be completed in 2018.