Designed by LundHagem and Atelier Oslo, Deichman Bjørvika is the new public library for Oslo city, located between Oslo Central Station and Opera House by Snøhetta. With the aim to create a contemporary library, architects conceived a building for meeting and activities, an open space to be explored with a total of 450,000 books.
The building is distributed over six top-lit levels, one of them underground, connected by three polygonal light shafts that cut diagonally across the building. Natural light also enters through the glazed surfaces of the cladding, completely transparent on the ground floor to enhance the connection with the city. Cantilevered volumes have been added on the first and fourth floors, almost 20 meters out above the urban plaza.
Accessible on three sides, the library organises closed spaces and niches around three self-supporting book towers in order to free the facades and invite light in. The library includes a cinema and a 200-seat auditorium in the basement, a restaurant and recording studios.
Cantilevered volumes and light shafts in Oslo new public library
Designed by LundHagem and Atelier Oslo, Deichman Bjørvika is conceived as a meeting place for the city: a vertically developed space valued by the use of light.
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Photo Einar Aslaksen
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Photo Einar Aslaksen
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- Francesca Grillo
- 08 October 2020
- Oslo, Norway
- LundHagem and Atelier Oslo
- 13,500 sqm
- New main library for Oslo city
- 2020
- Deichman Bjørvik
- Oslo, Norway
- New main library for Oslo city
- LundHagem and Atelier Oslo architects
- Scenario
- AFRY Advansia
- Bollinger Grohman and Multiconsult
- Multiconsult, COWI, Rambøll, Asplan Viak / Kan Energ
- SKANSKA
- Roschmann Group
- AF Byggfornyelse
- Oslo municipality
- 19,600 sqm
- 13,500 sqm
- 2020
From the library plaza.
Aproaching from central station.
Seen from the Opera roof.
Street view.
From the library plaza.
Detail cantilever.
Detail façade.
Exterior looking up the light shafts and into the library.
Moving up thelight shafts.
Main interior space.
Top floor.
Looking down the lighshafts.
Detail cores with bookshelfes and specialized rooms.
Transition to cantilevered terraced area.
Cantilevered terraced area.
Cantilevered terraced area.
Niche in core with stair up to mezzanine.
Calm space in the periphery.
Upper floor interior.
Underground floor with bookshelves.
Isometric plans with program.
Isometric plans.
Concept diagram. Lighshafts entrances and cores.
Ground floor plan.
Ground floor plan.
First floor plan.
Fourth floor plan.
Section.
Concept model from competition. Lighshafts.