Stockholm City Library

Our entry for the open international competition to build an extension to the celebrated Stockholm City Library by Gunner Asplund. The project involved introducing 10,000m² of floor space in addition to the existing 14,000m² adjacent to the listed Asplund structure and on a site with highly sensitive cultural and heritage constraints. Our proposals were configured as a dual entity – a principle building containing all the main public functions and a linked support building. The main building is conceived as a ‘loose fit’ framed structure of four ‘heavy’ floorplates at double height intervals which relate to the datum levels of the Asplund library. These floorplates are penetrated by voids and lightwells of differing sizes which bring natural light deep into the plan. The resulting ‘lost’ area is then replaced by mezzanines which are tuned to the needs and ambience of each department. The design therefore allows an infinite variety of ways of configuring the library within a generic matrix.