INTERNATIONAL PROJECT
The Central Library Oodi opened to the public on the 6th of December 2020 , on the eve of the Finnish Independence Day . Besides its function as a library , Oodi , which is located in Töölönlahti , is a new landmark in the heart of Helsinki , a place for learning and a tourist destination . The Central Library is an example of steel , concrete , wood , and glass construction , which is highly energy-efficient .
Consulting engineers Ramboll was responsible for the structural design , project management and construction , HVAC design , maintenance book coordination and cooling design . ALA Architects designed the Central Library and YIT Construction was the building contractor .
Oodi occupies a hugely significant site in central Helsinki : facing the steps of the Finnish parliament building , the Eduskuntatalo across the Kansalaistori square , a public space flanked by major civic institutions : The siting of Oodi opposite the Eduskuntatalo was chosen to be symbolic of the relationship between the government and the populace , and act as a reminder of the Finnish Library Act ’ s mandate for libraries to promote lifelong learning , active citizenship , democracy and freedom of expression . It also places the new library in the heart of Helsinki ’ s cultural district , close to many of the capital ’ s great institutions .
Oodi has a peaceful open-plan reading room on the upper floor that has been nicknamed ‘ Book Heaven ’, but books only fill one third of the space within the library . By reducing on-site storage and consulting library-users on how they access culture , the designers , and librarians of Oodi have been able to introduce facilities including a café , restaurant , public balcony , movie theatre , audio-visual recording studios and a makerspace . This is representative of broader experimentation within Finnish libraries to offer new services in addition to loaning books .
The design divides the functions of the library into three distinct levels : an active ground floor that extends the town square into an interior space ; ‘ book heaven ’ on the upper level ; and an enclosed in-between volume containing rooms to accommodate additional services and facilities within the library . This spatial concept has been realised by building the library as an inhabited bridge , with two massive steel arches that span over 100 metres to create a fully enclosed , column-free public entrance space , clusters of rooms grouped around the structure , and the openplan reading room carried above . Oodi has been built using local materials and with local climate conditions in mind . The timber
HENAR LANGA
Books fill only one third of the space within the library .
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