The New Library – Design and Function

February 10-12, 2011, Marina Congress Center, Helsinki

The Helsinki City Library is arranging an architecture conference in Helsinki in partnership with The Municipal Library of Akureyrii, Deichmanske bibliotek / Oslo Public Library, Gävle Public Library and Taarnby Public Libraries. The conference is being funded in part by the Nordic Culture Fund.

The main theme of the conference is to formulate a concept for the “new library” in which the interior and its content have current relevance in relation to the digital and physical environment, including the social agenda of the populace. Just as significant is the role that the new library can play, in terms of urban planning, as being the focal point of a city’s dynamic, multicultural, and multifunctional social commons.

The first day will cover the library as an integral and important driving force behind urban and community development; a portion will also cover the user needs of the library, including the challenges (and opportunities) that digitization brings to the library. The evolving requirements that users expect of premises in a digitizing society mean that facilities and space need to be qualitatively skillful, smart, and capable.

The first day will also cover more theoretical aspects of a new agenda for libraries. We as libraries need to remake ourselves as a more interesting and appealing partner to political and other administrative entities.

The second day will link the substantive elements of interior and content with architectural concepts. One can also call it the visualization of what was covered on Day 1. In rural areas, the library is often the last remaining open institution: the post office, meeting point, cultural house, etc. Service: user driven or self-service.  And by the way, will there be a renaissance for the book mobile?

For more information contact Kristina Virtanen GSM: +358 40 187 2616 or e-mail: kristina.virtanen [at] hel.fi

Link to the program:

Conference program