Stockholm Public Library
Stockholms stadsbibliotek | |
---|---|
Location | Stockholm, Sweden |
Type | Public library |
Established | 1928 |
Branches | 40 |
Collection | |
Items collected | 2 000 000 (4 400 000 items) |
Other information | |
Budget | 110 000 000 SEK ($13 470 000) |
Employees | 200 |
Website | http://biblioteket.stockholm.se/ http://interbib.se/ International Library (section for foreign language literature) |
Stockholm Public Library (Swedish: Stockholms stadsbibliotek or Stadsbiblioteket) is a library building in Stockholm, Sweden, designed by Swedish architect Gunnar Asplund, and one of the city's most notable structures. The name is today used for both the main library itself as well as the municipal library system of Stockholm.
Architecture
Discussed by a committee of which Asplund himself was a member from 1918, a design scheme was proposed in 1922, and construction began in 1924. Partly inspired by the Barrière Saint-Martin (Rotonde de la Villette) by
Officially opened on 31 March 1928 in the presence of
Also designed by Asplund and completed in 1931 is the parkland to the south with its large pond and the shops along Sveavägen. The three simple annex buildings to the west, too, formed part of Asplund's original concept but were designed by other architects, i.e. Erik Lallerstedt (two blocks furthest west, 1929–30 and 1932) and Paul Hedqvist (1952–53).[1]
Charles Holden's design of Arnos Grove tube station in North London is said to be based on the Stockholm Public Library.
Holdings
Stockholm Public Library includes more than 2 million volumes and 2.4 million audio tapes, CDs and audio books.
The "international library" is the section for foreign languages, housed in two floors of an annex behind the main building, close to
Proposed future expansion
In 2006, the announcement of an international architectural competition for a library extension attracted 1,170 entries, though few leading international architects participated.[3] The new structure was to be built next to Asplund's main building, using the site occupied by the three annex buildings, whose fate (i.e. demolition or integration) was deliberately left open in the brief.
On 16 November 2007, little-known
Although Hanada was instructed to produce preliminary plans for the project's realisation, the extension was put on hold in late 2009. This was due to a change in city government with different priorities[5] as well as a local campaign turned international about what critics saw as an unacceptable impact on the original, Asplund approved complex.[6]
See also
References
- ^ Dates according to ICOMOS International Scientific Committee on 20th Century Heritage, HERITAGE ALERT September 2009 Archived 26 April 2012 at the Wayback Machine.
- ^ Unpublished library statistics, available on request at the desk.
- ^ Eleonore Harmel, Ad acta Archived 15 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine, in: Bauwelt 17-18.2010 (Retrieved 15 December 2011).
- ^ German firm wins Stockholm contest in Building Design. 23 November 2007. The winning design and the other finalists are presented in detail on the Swedish Association of Architects Archived 13 August 2011 at the Wayback Machine website (Retrieved 15 December 2011).
- ^ Harmel, as above Archived 15 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine. The official reason given, i.e. escalating costs, is by some considered to be no more than a smokescreen.[citation needed]
- ICOMOSwebsite (Retrieved 15 December 2011).
External links
- Website with several photos about Asplund's work on Stockholm Public Library
- Website with several photos about Asplund's work
- 5 films with English subtitles about the City Library of Stockholm designed by Gunnar Asplund. See the view from the roof, enjoy all the furnitures designed by architect G. Asplund, look into the marvellous Rotunda and so on.