Public Library of the Year 2016 @ Dokk1 - the winner of the Public Library of the Year Award 2016
With
its unique and central location in the city, Dokk1 has become a key element in
the forward-looking strategy for creating more life by the harbour, which used
to be a practically deserted area. It is evident that accessibility has been
given high priority, not only in the positioning of the library, but also in
the many outdoor areas and staircases that provide access to the building from
all sides. This is supported by the shape and facade cladding of the building,
which has no back, but has been given a primary facade on every side. In both the
interior and the exterior, a classical construction element, the staircase, has
been used as both a functional necessity and a place for meeting and resting.
The jury also finds great architectural value in the simple and consistent
choice of materials throughout the building, which adapts naturally to the
harbour environment. Furthermore, the materials are of a high quality without
being ostentatious, which makes the building stand out as a place of diversity
with room for everybody. As a contrast to the many raw materials used, other
elements have elegantly been incorporated to create a special atmosphere for
the library's users through scale, materiality and colours, and it is
impressive to see how the building's complex programme and the many elements are
held together in a relatively simple layout. The library is classified as a
low-energy building featuring, among other things, solar panels, LED lighting,
recirculation of ventilation air in the parking area and seawater cooling.
With
its many 'rooms for transformation', Dokk1 can do the same as a classical
library and so much more. The size and the highly flexible interior design
provide good options for both the users' own and the library's activities.
Inspiration, knowledge and learning are available in several analogue and
digital media forms, and there are activities for all age groups and across age
groups, both planned and more spontaneous. Big and small learning spaces
facilitate different workshops and maker-spaces and provide room for individual
studies and group work. The children's area is particularly successful with its
clear focus on play as a valuable activity – i.e. not only as a tool for
learning or social education, but also as a cultural life statement fully on a
par with literary or artistic experiences. Here, the outdoor playground is an
added bonus. Innovative technology has been incorporated into the physical
space to a great extent. With a high degree of user inclusion during the
construction process, the intention has been to transform the library from
being the library's place to being the citizens' place. One example of this is
that users can communicate via Instagram to the library's screens, enabling
everybody to become a part of the story of Dokk1. By the entrance and in front
of one of the halls, there are interactive sound installations, which can also
be controlled by the users. Finally, there is a bell, which will sound every
time a child is born in the city, when the parents press a button at the
hospital's maternity ward.
The prize
The prize is awarded by the Danish Agency for
Culture and Palaces as a part of the Model Programme for Public Libraries with
IT company Systematic as sponsor. Therefore the award is named ‘Systematic –
Public Library of the Year Award’.The target group is public libraries, i.e.
municipality libraries. Applications can be made by individual municipalities.
A municipality may apply in co-operation with relevant advisors.
The prize is US$ 5,000, which will be given
to the municipality. Another 3-4 libraries will be nominated and awarded with a
diploma. The nominees are obliged to deliver a presentation including
pictures of their library - conducted by a representative from the library or
by someone else - at the award ceremony.
Criteria for application
The library must be a new public library.
This means that it must have been completed during the period January 1st 2014
through June 1st 2016.
The definition of a new library in this
connection is a library that has been newly built from scratch, or a library
that has been set up in premises that have not previously existed as a library.
Assessment criteria
Applications will be assessed on the basis of
an overall assessment of the following six criteria: The criteria are not in
order of priority.
1. Interaction with the surroundings and
local culture: Including how the architecture reflects, or gives consideration
to the local culture of the community, how it gives visibility in the urban
landscape and interaction with surrounding buildings and open spaces. Is the
library a driver of connections or movements in the urban context?
2. Architectural quality: Including how each
space work in terms of functions and logistics. How is the architectural
concept implemented and designed on different scales in the building? It is of
great importance how the spaces affects people’s senses, for example with the
use of light, darkness, sound, silence, indoor climate, and materials.
3. Flexibility: Including how rooms are
designed and organized, and how surfaces and the combination of spaces are an
inspiration for the users’ own activities and support new activities and
synergy across various spaces. E.g. does the library include makerspace
facilities for workshops or a stage? Are these used, and if so, how? Can the
spaces be easily modified and used for various functions and activities?
4. Sustainability: Including how sustainable
solution has been incorporated in the library, for example by reducing
resources, or by using natural resources in a new way to extract energy.
Similarly, it could be with the use of local materials for the construction.
5. Learning space: Including the way the
library offers a diversity of inroads to education, how learning spaces support
different learning situations, appeal to different needs, age groups and
encourage various learning formats. How do the learning spaces interact with
the rest of the library?
6. Digitization: Including how digital
communication and accessibility of the library content is integrated in the
library space, including the use of mobile technology. How is design,
aesthetics and interaction used as the basis for the digitization? Has
digitization been used in any innovative and creative ways to create
experiences for the library users in the physical library.
Assessment committee
- Chairperson of the Committee, Morten Lautrup-Larsen, Deputy Director, Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces
- Maria Wedel Søe, Architect MAA, Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces
- Jens Lauridsen, Library Head, Tårnby Municipality Libraries
- Iben Østerbye, Head of Communications, Herning Library
- Jan Richards, Manager, Central West Libraries, New South Wales, Australia
- Leikny Haga Indergaard, Library Head, Bergen Public Library, Norway
- Kent Martinussen, CEO, Danish Architecture Centre
- Michael Christensen, Creative Director, CCO.
Practical information
Any questions may be directed at chief
adviser Jonna Holmgaard Larsen, Danish Agency for Culture and Palaces, jhl@slks.dk.
The prize will be awarded in August 2016 at
the annual meeting of the IFLA, The International Federation of Library
Associations and Institutions, in Columbus, Ohio, USA.
Regards
Pralhad
Jadhav
Senior
Manager @ Library
Khaitan
& Co
Upcoming
Events | BOSLA-NIFT ANNUAL LECTURE SERIES-2016 on Saturday,
20th August 2016 at 10.00 hrs in National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kharghar, Navi
Mumbai.
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