| Architect |
IMB Architects |
| Date
Built |
Completed
2007 |
| Location |
Gresham and
Noble Streets |
| Description |
|
|
The library comprises an older building
dating from the 1920s and a new addition
completed in 2007. The
www.archtravel.com site explains that, "...
The origins of the Regional Library of
Bizkaia can be found in the personal
library of Fidel de Sagarminaga, a
politician, writer and owner of an
outstanding library of nearly 12,000
titles, on Basque themes. The Library,
bursting at the seams due to lack of
space, and outdated in its services,
underwent a new overhaul, extension and
conversion of the physical space in the
1980’s; however, the continuous growth
of the rich bibliographical and
newspaper collections once again pushed
the facility to the limit of its
capacity. As a consequence, an ambitious
project for the extension and upgrading
of the building was undertaken under the
direction of IMB architects. The result
was a Library adapted to the cultural
reality of Bizkaia, providing new
services to meet the challenges posed by
the society of the 21st century. Opened
after four years of construction, while
at the same time, the building was never
closed from the public." The archell.com site says of the new construction that it, "... includes two new built up volumes. The first one, covered with stone, takes the administration in. The second one serves to store the books and is designed like a glass container which expresses and symbolizes the function of the new library to the city.  |
|
|
Regional
Library of Bizkaia, Bilbao, Spain
 |
