Reading Cambridge

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intro A library is a collection of sources, resources, and services, and the structure in which it is housed; it is organized for use and maintained by a public body, an institution, or a private individual. In the more traditional sense, a library is a collection of books. It can mean the collection itself, the building or room that houses such a collection, or both.

The term “library” has itself acquired a secondary meaning: “a collection of useful material for common use.”

“Henceforth, the visionary experience arises from the black and white surface of printed signs, from the closed and dusty volume that opens with a flight of forgotten words; fantasies are carefully deployed in the hushed library, with its columns of books, with its titles aligned on shelves to form a tight enclosure, but within confines that also liberate impossible worlds. The imaginary now resides between the book and the lamp. The fantastic is no longer a property of the heart, nor is it found among the incongruities of nature; it evolves from the accuracy of knowledge, and its treasures lie dormant in documents. Dreams are no longer summoned with closed eyes, but in reading; and a true image is now a product of learning: it derives from words spoken in the past, exact recensions, the amassing of minute facts, monuments reproduced to infinitesimal fragments, and the reproductions of reproductions. In the modern experience, these elements contain the power of the impossible. Only the assiduous clamor created by repetition can transmit to us what only happened once. The imaginary is not formed in opposition to reality as its denial or compensation; it grows among signs, from book to book, in the interstice of repetitions and commentaries; it is born and takes shape in the interval

between

books.

It

is

a

phenomenon

of

the

library.�

Michel Foucault, 1967

contents LIBRARY OF BABEL / BABEL Jorge Luis Borges WELLS CATHEDRAL LIBRARY / WELLS Unknown LAURENTIAN LIBRARY / FLORENCE Michelangelo BRITISH LIBRARY / LONDON Colin St John Wilson BRITISH LIBRARY / LONDON Sir Robert Smirke GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART / GLASGOW Charles Rennie Mackintosh SEELEY HISTORICAL LIBRARY/ CAMBRIDGE James Stirling FRESCATI UNIVERSITY LIBRARY / STOCKHOLM Ralph Erskine NEWHAM COLLEGE RARE BOOKS LIBRARY / CAMBRIDGE Van Heyningen and Haward CRANFIELD LIBRARY / BEDFORD Foster and Partners RUSKIN LIBRARY / LANCASTER MJP Architects BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY / BIRMINGHAM Mecanoo Architects BIRMINGHAM CENTRAL LIBRARY / BIRMINGHAM John Madin CAURTAULD LIBRARY / LONDON Lloyd Green Architects

LIBRARY OF BABEL / BABEL Jorge Luis Borges

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LIBRARY OF BABEL / BABEL Jorge Luis Borges

READING CAMBRIDGE

LIBRARY OF BABEL / BABEL Jorge Luis Borges

READING CAMBRIDGE

LIBRARY OF BABEL / BABEL Jorge Luis Borges

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WELLS CATHEDRAL LIBRARY / WELLS Unknown

-Until the 15th century the collection of books were not in library conditions.

> Artificial lighting

-The removal of books by Oliver Cromwell during the Reformation were sent to be part of a new public library at St Cuthberts Church.

-Modern addition of electrical lighting - this is not overpowering but small bursts of light which are located at each reading space and between the reading booths creating uplighting

-Wells library is set up to focus the reader on the text with little distraction - seat facing chained books - solitary reading space -Library on higher level developing the spirital connotations - the ascension of knowledge (knowledge as a spiritual connection).

-Cables run discretely along the timber cornice work

-Beneath the library the Cloiser walkways allow a space for the reflection of knowledge as one comes down to Earth

-The lighting perpetuates the idea of solitary reading

-Restricted movement in seating area as benches are stationary and facing book units books are chained to the shelves meaning one reads in a controlled manner

Library (first floor)

R

Window height above level of

Cloister (ground floor) - space to contemplate under library - access into outENVIRONMENTAL QUALITIES -Books arranged alphabeticallly

Larger windows in cloisters to allow light filtration and

-Letters located on bookcase end -Books chained for safety

ORGANISATION OF BOOKS AND READERS

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WELLS CATHEDRAL LIBRARY / WELLS Unknown

-Described as the most ‘poetic of English Cathedrals’ -Built between 1175 and 1490, displaying an Early English (Gothic) style -Library build mid 15th Century - located over East Cloister -The collections core subject is theology, but science, medicine, history, exploration, and languages are also well represented; has one of the few chained libraries in Britain

Road network circulates the Cathedral

-The library owed its existence to the expansion of education in the 15th Century -The west front is designed with 300 statues telling the Christian story in limestone. There are niches for around 500 -The west front has a selection of port holes which was designed for the choir to stand behind and sing, making the Cathedral appear to sing

Open space surrounding frames the Cathedral

Positioned as the main focus of the dwelling - the town grew around the religious icon

Series of denser dwellings made from local stone

CONTEXT MAP

Front sculptural facade

CONCEPTUAL IDEAS

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WELLS CATHEDRAL LIBRARY / WELLS Unknown

1. Later addition of the library sectioned off from the main worship area 2. The Chapter House along the north face allowed a space for meetings and somewhere the books could be read aloud; positioned at opposite sends, possibly for accoustic levels

Vaulted space to enclosed

3. Quadrangle aids light penetration into the continuous rows of windows

Chapter House

Linear movement through the library

Book-

Chapter House

Seat-

Library Interior to Exterior

MOVEMENT PATTERNS 4. Public access into larger expanses of space, whereas private is on the surrounding attachments.

Wells Cathedral - Chapter House to Library

Library

Salisbury Cathedral - Similar layout to Wells Cathedral, but here the two sit in close proximity

Natural lighting 1. Glass was installed in the windows to save books from weather penetration 2. Windows are not installed for the sake of views - but rather for the need for light 3. Windows on Eastern and Western faces meaning morning and evening light - an improvement consideration would be to have north facing light to receive a steady constant in natural light conditions - although it is possible this was positioned to increase the ethereal conditions with strength of light

Public to private

SPATIAL ORGANISATION

Chapter House

Library

5. Cathedral designed in a rigid cross formation with emphasis on the Nave and Aisles

Canterbury Cathedral - location close together, with Chapter House not octaganal

Chapter House at Wells

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WELLS CATHEDRAL LIBRARY / WELLS Unknown

1. Separate bays which sit two people

2. Light enters from quadrangle open space

3. Repetative structure

4. Little distraction as one faces the book shelf

1/20 SECTION

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LAURENTIAN LIBRARY / FLORENCE Michelangelo

READING CAMBRIDGE

LAURENTIAN LIBRARY / FLORENCE Michelangelo

READING CAMBRIDGE

LAURENTIAN LIBRARY / FLORENCE Michelangelo

READING CAMBRIDGE

LAURENTIAN LIBRARY / FLORENCE Michelangelo

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BIBLIOTHEQUE DU ROI / PARIS Boullee

Boullee designed Bibliotheque in 18th century, 1785 in Western Europe. It was designed in France, Paris.

The type of architecture that he used was Neoclassical, an architecture produced by the neo classical movement.

The ideas of the design come out of incorporating poetry in architecture in public movement.

He was trying to impress that design of a library should offer more than a silent image of art. He designed the walls of the palace with tables of constitutional law. Decorating the walls of the palace and present a tableau of contemporary events: Description of the liberary: - At the base he designed two Stylobates.

- Two rows of figures indicating the numbers of provinces, each one holding a book of decrees.

- Placing an attic above the walls. Designed with a base- relief (representing our national festivals).

- Crowning the building the greatest victory a nation can desire.

- trying to proceed with economy.

Boullee’s biggest impact: - Development a distinctive abstract geometric style.

- Inspired by classical forms.

- His work characterised by the removal of all unnecessary ornamentation, inflating geometric.

Forms to a huge scale and repeating elements, columns in huge range.

- Making architecture impressive of its purpose. (talking architecture) - Walking into book store filled with numberless volumes. (his private cornucopia, his portal, his way to all potentialities)

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BIBLIOTHEQUE DU ROI /PARIS Boullee

Primary quality of his library would be: - Size - Immensity ( Bigness) - Enormity (Wildness) - Spectacle (view) - A place which everyone could talk and its like a place which they could socialize .

Showing the size of his amphitheatre of literary beside the stretching lines of shelf’s filled with books are tiny human figures, they are adorned by robes and long beards befitting the guardians of the bounty.

Boullee describes that, they hand books to each other with considering the safety. Over scaled arch is humanized by the small act of handing knowledge, one to another.

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BRITISH LIBRARY / LONDON Colin St John Wilson

READING CAMBRIDGE

BRITISH LIBRARY / LONDON Colin St John Wilson

READING CAMBRIDGE

BRITISH LIBRARY / LONDON Colin St John Wilson

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BRITISH LIBRARY / LONDON Sir Robert Smirke

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BRITISH LIBRARY / LONDON Sir Robert Smirke

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GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART / GLASGOW Charles Rennie Mackintosh

READING CAMBRIDGE

GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART / GLASGOW Charles Rennie Mackintosh

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GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART / GLASGOW Charles Rennie Mackintosh

READING CAMBRIDGE

GLASGOW SCHOOL OF ART / GLASGOW Charles Rennie Mackintosh

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SEELEY HISTORICAL LIBRARY/ CAMBRIDGE James Stirling

READING CAMBRIDGE

SEELEY HISTORICAL LIBRARY/ CAMBRIDGE James Stirling

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SEELEY HISTORICAL LIBRARY/ CAMBRIDGE James Stirling

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FRESCATI UNIVERSITY LIBRARY / STOCKHOLM Ralph Erskine

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FRESCATI UNIVERSITY LIBRARY / STOCKHOLM Ralph Erskine

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NEWHAM COLLEGE RARE BOOKS LIBRARY / CAMBRIDGE Van Heyningen and Haward

READING CAMBRIDGE

NEWHAM COLLEGE RARE BOOKS LIBRARY / CAMBRIDGE Van Heyningen and Haward

READING CAMBRIDGE

NEWHAM COLLEGE RARE BOOKS LIBRARY / CAMBRIDGE Van Heyningen and Haward

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CRANFIELD LIBRARY / BEDFORD Foster and Partners

READING CAMBRIDGE

CRANFIELD LIBRARY / BEDFORD Foster and Partners

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CRANFIELD LIBRARY / BEDFORD Foster and Partners

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RUSKIN LIBRARY / LANCASTER MJP Architects

READING CAMBRIDGE

RUSKIN LIBRARY / LANCASTER MJP Architects

READING CAMBRIDGE

RUSKIN LIBRARY / LANCASTER MJP Architects

READING CAMBRIDGE

RUSKIN LIBRARY / LANCASTER MJP Architects

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BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY / BIRMINGHAM Mecanoo Architects

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BIRMINGHAM PUBLIC LIBRARY / BIRMINGHAM Mecanoo Architects

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BIRMINGHAM CENTRAL LIBRARY / BIRMINGHAM John Madin

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BIRMINGHAM CENTRAL LIBRARY / BIRMINGHAM John Madin

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CAURTAULD LIBRARY / LONDON Lloyd Green Architects

Concept Adapting the grand 1 listed building to modern needs of the library and teaching centres whilst respecting the Sir William Chambers Piranesian style vaults and grand design.

Adding modern required elements such as mezzanine floors to stand out against the piranesian vaults and knowing when in places to blend in with the original design like the dividing walls almost un differentiated from chambers design.

Teaching history of art and picture restoration in a major historic building which itself has been subject to careful restoration.

1 exhibition catologues z5055- z5o72 2 EXHIBITION CATALOGUES Z5020Z5055 3 EXHIBITION CATALOGUES Z5072Z5095 4 CURRENT PERIODICALS DISPLAY 5 RESHELVING AREAS 6 Z80 to Z1080 7 Z1210 to Z6832 8 Z6841 to Z9160 9 D621.VEN to D623.SEB 10 ARCHITECTURE A12 to A1051 11 PERIODICALS (JOURNALS) 12 CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS 13 SALES CATALOGUES 14 A1051to A1101 15 A1101 to A9000 16 B17 to B1190 17 C27 to C1810 18 D30 to D546 19 D546 to D549

Circulation The long design of the building allows for free flowing circulation around the library.

Seating spaces Seating ares seem to be in dark cubby hole type areas not very practical in terms of light but for noise these areas could be private and quite excellent area for reading Natural light source Light is filtered down to the basement level through windows which take their light from the offset frontage off the level above which allows light to filter down.

Modern staircase exxpresses new aspects added to the building

Plans showing seating natural light and circulation

READING CAMBRIDGE

CAURTAULD LIBRARY / LONDON Lloyd Green Architects

READING CAMBRIDGE

CAURTAULD LIBRARY / LONDON Lloyd Green Architects

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