shhh/peaceful | Marcello Ferri

Shh/ peaceful is an exploration of Asplund's original idea of terracing on the northern side of Observatory Hill. The attention is focused on the future evolution of today's spatial relationship between the existing library, the area where the annexes buildings are located and the parks on Observatory Hill and Sveavagen. According to these programmatic decisions the existing three annex buildings have been removed to allow the creation of an open green court. The footprint of the proposed building follows the boundaries along the street side in accordance to the city grid while it blends on the southern side with the topography of the hill. here the footprint is aligned with the direction of the original link to karlberg castle. A green roof is provided as an extension of the green space of ObservatoryHill. The horizontal elevations of the existing library are guidelines to determine the vertical scale of the new building, and the cylindrical volume of the new rotunda. The proportions of the existing Asplund library and the topographical characteristics of the site validated design criteria for the extension. Views from inside the library are directed towards the green spaces and the hill and away from the street to suggest a sense of quietness and the natural peculiarities of the area. The main entrance and reception are of the library is a transparent plinth at the sidewalk level with sightlines through to the open court and the activities performed inside the facility. Service access is through underground links that avoid any alteration of the architecture of the original Asplund's design of the main library building. The underground concrete tunnel provides two locations for connections: one on the north-east side allowing for the public/staff flow and another on the south-east corner for the transportation of media in accordance with already established underground functions. Painted metal cladding, concrete shear walls and transparent curtain walls are the proposed treatment for the new building's exterior. Interior finishes are: gallery white walls, translucent glass panels and sea green slate flooring.