ASP / Stockholm’s Garden Library

How does one address a site entangled in urbanity, nature while facing a cultural heritage? Until now the observatory hill had only one façade towards the city. We suggest turning the library’s extension into a garden library, unifying the new facility with the street on one side and the observatory plateau on the other. We do this by pulling the hill towards the street, in the process creating a large sloping roof-façade, accessible via ramps of different grades. These are created through a process of cutting, in turn, providing the whole building with an overview directed to the Asplund Library as well as good interior day lighting conditions. Facing the street, the blanket is pulled up on one corner, creating a very urban, almost high-rise façade with a spectacular entrance that avoids blocking the view of the original Asplund library. The west corner is pushed down towards the street, allowing a plaza between the two library buildings. The façade is dotted and activated with study rooms as interior balconies allowing privacy, but still providing generous space within the open library floors