Buildings for Books by Chris van Uffelen

Functionally and esthetically compelling solutions for library building and spaces today that work for all users.

Librariesare spaces for learning, discovery, and also for interaction. Theirarchitecture is currently the subject of much discussion, as the demands onthese cornerstones of modern civilization have changed enormously since theyhave had to meet the requirements of the new multimedia and digital age. Thelibrary as an institution underwent a real image change from an introvertedknowledge repository to a globally networked information provider andcommunicationmediator.
The architectural expression of this expanded and constantly evolving profileof requirements makes library construction extremely multi-layered and complex.But this is also precisely the source of enormous potential for bold designsand ingenious aesthetic concepts. Whether involving new buildings, conversionsor extensions, this volume shows the diversity of this building task with itsinterplay of state-of-the-art technology and cultural demands.

The core topic forChris van Uffelen is the transfer of knowledge about design in all its manifestations. For more than twenty years the Dutch-German art historian has been publishing books as well as countless essays and articels on art, architecture, interior design and urban planning from antiquity to the present.