PRAUD unveiled their entry of Helsinki Central Library Competition, titled ‘The Heart of the Metropolis’. The proposal aims at becoming a ‘Living Room’ for the city. The Living room, which sits in the atrium, serves for multiple uses, as an auditorium, hall space, social space, lounge, or large functions. This unique space will be singular not only for Helsinki, but as a new model for other future libraries. More details about the project comes from the architects after the jump.
Architecturally, we were thinking of how to maximize the relationship between the city, the library, and its surroundings with a clear massing strategy. Because the building is oriented North to South, a vertical doughnut is stretched along the North and South axis to create a large elevated atrium that serves as the city living room. This strategy allows for the library collection to be elevated as a beacon of education to the city while all other programming is organized around the atrium.