After 15 years, Bruno Gaudin Architectes has accomplished work on the Bibliothèque Nationale de France (BnF). The huge endeavor noticed the agency contact each a part of this nationwide archive, which is unfold throughout two websites: the Richelieu and François-Mitterrand. Tackled in two phases, the primary of which was accomplished in 2016, the success of the challenge has revolutionized the library for each its staff and the general public.
“After 15 years of labor, we’ve returned a constructing that has been profoundly reworked to fulfill the up to date challenges of welcoming the general public, opening it as much as the town, and sharing and exchanging with the youthful generations,” shares Bruno Gaudin. “Yesterday, closed in on itself, the big, magnificent, worn, fragmented, darkish, and dilapidated treasure chest has now been given a brand new identification, full of sunshine.”
Maybe probably the most dramatic public transformation occurred in section one when the Oval Room was fully restored and refurbished. This iconic studying room, positioned on the Richelieu web site, was initially designed within the late Nineteenth century. Whereas conserving the house tied to its historic routes, the agency up to date the outdated lighting and put in multimedia seating for guests to get pleasure from all elements of the gathering.
However whereas some areas—like ebook stacks and workers areas—have been fully renovated, different areas have been created. This consists of the Vivienne Backyard, a brand new outside house positioned at what was as soon as the again of three adjoining buildings. Now, an entrance to the library has been carved out, creating a possibility to convey a contemporary contact to the historic house.
“Whereas the historic mineral and closed courtyard of honor respects the custom of the silence crucial for analysis, the design of this new entrance, with its planted threshold open to the town, displays the establishment’s need to ask everybody to find its world, each a analysis library and a museum presenting its treasures. Between the courtyard and the backyard, the crossing corridor symbolizes this hyperlink between the world of researchers and the brand new public.”
By mixing with historic structure and in search of out alternatives for innovation, Bruno Gaudin Architects has given a masterclass on find out how to thoughtfully work on such an necessary, monumental house.
Bruno Gaudin Architectes spent 15 years renovating France’s Nationwide Library.
© Marchand Meffre/Atelier Bruno Gaudin Architectes
They reworked the sprawling, outdated house right into a practical nationwide archive.
The 2-phase challenge had a complete value of greater than $256 million.
© Marchand Meffre/Atelier Bruno Gaudin Architectes
Bruno Gaudin Architectes: Web site
All photographs @ Takuji Shimmura/Atelier Bruno Gaudin Architectes besides the place famous. My Fashionable Met granted permission to characteristic pictures by Bruno Gaudin Architectes.
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