Tiffany CondeFor bibliophiles who can’t get enough of visiting beautiful libraries and bookstores around the world, we’ve found a new reader’s haven that’s worth travelling for.
Thanks to its innovative design and architectural features, the Deichman Bjørvika has received the Public Library of the Year award for 2021 from the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA). Located in Oslo, Norway, this well-designed library beat 32 other libraries around the world vying for the title.
Regarding the decision to name Deichman Bjørvika the best public library in the world, jury chair Jakob Lærkes calls it “a beautiful and impressive building which serves as a beacon for future library buildings,” according to the IFLA’s official website.
Why book lovers should visit Deichman Bjørvika in Oslo, Norway
Image credit: Deichman Bjørvika Official Facebook Page
Standing alongside the Oslo Opera House on the waterfront of Norway’s capital city, Deichman Bjørvika is a modern and eco-friendly library that also happens to be the country’s largest. Open to the public since 18 Jun 2020, this architectural gem boasts 13,500sqm of floor space distributed over a six-storey building containing about 450,000 books.
The library was designed by two award-winning architectural firms, Atelier Oslo and LundHagem, who collaborated to “create an open and intriguing building in which you are constantly invited around the next corner, to discover new places” a statement from Atelier Oslo’s website reads.
Image credit: Helge Høifødt
Built with a fully automatic book-sorting system, Oslo’s main library is not just a cultural landmark equipped with brand new facilities and reading areas but also a vibrant centre for ideas: “a modern meeting place for learning and exchange of knowledge.”
Inside, the building is designed in such a way that the ambience gets more tranquil as you ascend the library’s floors. The first floor contains a restaurant, a cafe, and an information desk, while the second and third floors include dedicated areas for young children and those who wish to engage in different artistic disciplines, from gaming to music.
Higher up, the fourth and fifth floors provide quiet reading rooms, where visitors can bask in stunning views of the Oslofjord and the city.
Image credit: Deichman Bjørvika Official Facebook Page
The library’s unique features will stun visitors. These include a roof with a folded geometric design, a cantilevered fourth floor, and panoramic windows. There are three large skylights in the ceiling that send natural light flooding into the building, cultivating a warm and inviting atmosphere with plenty of well-lit nooks for reading.
Also read: 10 Bucket-List Libraries You Must Visit Once In Your Lifetime
Open to visitors, Deichman Bjørvika is located between Oslo Central Station and the iconic opera house in the Bjørvika neighbourhood in Oslo, Norway.
Address: Anne-Cath, Vestlys plass 1, 0150 Oslo, Norway
