Meet me at the hill

Abstract

Over the past year, we have been working on a proposal for the expansion of the Stockholm City Library. Two main questions have guided our thought process throughout the year: “Why should the Stockholm City Library be expanded?” and “Having chosen to expand the Stockholm City Library, how does this expansion add to the existing Library?”.
Over the last twenty years, several briefs have been launched for the expansion of the Library. When analyzing these briefs, it becomes clear that there is a need for more public space. Furthermore, there is a need for a more contemporary library, with a focus on pleasant seating places for all, and space for contemporary initiatives and events. On top of that, there is an opportunity to bring back adult education in the Stockholm City Library, by freeing up the top floor of the Asplund Building, which is currently used for office spaces.
The expansion adds qualities to the existing building, by creating spaces that look out instead of looking in, with an open and inviting character, in contrast to the Asplund building, which has an inward-focussed character. On top of that, the new extension building creates a connection between the Asplund building, the first annex building, the market square, and the Observatory Hill, while also creating a connection between the interior and exterior of the Asplund building. Finally, the extension building is part of the actual landscape as it follows the structure of the City and the Observatory Hill.