■ کتابخانه و خانه فرهنگ بخش معماری

Vennesla Library and Culture House / Helen & Hard

For their new library and community center in Vennesla, Norwegian architects Helen & Hard bring a sophisticated elegance to the public facility in Norway.
 The project links an existing community house and learning
center, and seeks to become an extension of the main city square with
its transparent facade and urban loggia.   The expressive ribs
combine structure, technical infrastructure, and functionality into one
architectonic element that creates a
dynamic aesthetic identity for the project to meet the
client’s original intent to mark the city’s cultural center.

More about the project after the break.

27 prefabricated glue-laminated timber ribs define the spatial
expression of the interior, and their offset construction allows the
curves to function as spatial interfaces with inset lighting elements to
provide a soft glow to the interiors and acoustic absorbents which
contain the air conditioning ducts.  ”In this project, we developed
a rib concept to create useable hybrid structures that combine a timber
construction with all technical devices and the interior,” explained
the architects.The ribs change throughout the interior to inform
different spaces; at the main entrance, the rib spans the entire width
of the building and then slowly condense to create more intimate rooms.
 While the building’s roof is informed by the geometry of the
curves, the massing along traces the natural lines of the site and
responds to the main street by folding down towards it.

Typical of Helen & Hard’s work, the project also focuses
on reducing the energy need through the use of high standard energy
saving solutions in all new parts of the project. The library is a
“low-energy” building, defined as class “A” in the Norwegian energy-use
definition system.
Architects: Helen & Hard

Location: Vennesla, Norway

Team Helen & Hard: Reinhard Kropf, Siv Helene Stangeland, Håkon Minnesjord Solheim, Caleb Reed, Randi Augenstein

Client: Vennesla Kommune

Competition entry: 2009

Completion: 2011

Budget: 66,4 mill NOK (excl.tax)

Area: 1938 sqm gross