Timber iQ December 2019 - January 2020 // Issue: 47 | Page 23

INTERNATIONAL PROJECT
Cranes had to be used to erect the bridge of the library.
movie theatre and the multipurpose hall can be used as part of
the open lobby space or separated off to cater for specific
events. Walking through the ground floor offers a quick glimpse
at the services available in the building. The sculptural wooden
surface arches over the ground floor areas as a dramatic
bridge-like structure. This innovative structural solution has
enabled the creation of a column-free public space to
maximise the accessibility and visibility of the programme.
The book heaven on the top floor, is a vast open landscape
topped with an undulating cloud-like white ceiling. Here the
best features of the modernist library meets the possibilities
provided by up-to-date technologies. A calm, serene
atmosphere invites visitors to read, learn, think, and to enjoy
themselves. From this level visitors can enjoy an unobstructed
360-degree panoramic view of the city centre.
The middle floor, the attic, consists of flexible irregularly
shaped rooms, nooks and corners inhabiting the spaces
between the trusses of the bridge structure. The enclosed
spaces are designed to accommodate both noisy and quiet
activities. The stepped seating in the open central area of
this floor is the result of the form of the cantilevering,
twisting west façade.
By opening directly to the surrounding cityscape and by
dissolving the border between indoor and outdoor areas,
the building engages directly with the Töölönlahti area. The
In addition to wood, steel was used to construct the building’s bridge structure.
www.timberiq.co.za
// DECEMBER 2019 / JANUARY 2020
21