NATIONAL LIBRARY OF ISRAEL
credit: Herzog & de Meuron in collboration with Mann-Shinar architects.
Area: 45,000 sq.m.
The new National Library of Israel, towards completitin in 2013, will be a major landmark building, set next to the Knesset (Israel’s Parliament), Governmaent Compound and Israel Museum in Jerusalem. The Library houses more than 5,000,000 items, including rare book collections of all cultures, it will be a magnet for scholars and visitors, a space for exhibitions and cultural programs.
The horizontal iconic profile of the whole building is such as not to compete with the adjacent Knesset, therefore most of the program is underground. The building is designed like a stone “monolith” hovering above the hilly site, with its focal space – the round Reading Room, “a sea of books”, lit from above. Under this multi-level space one can have a glimpse into the large underground automatic book storage.
The unique envelope is designed as massive stone walls with light penetrating through small gaps in between the stones, inspired by ancient architecture yet with new interpratation. Large cantilevers at the narrow ends of the building create both dramatic contemporary expression as well as provide large shaded areas for visitors at the public garden surrounding the Library.