![Luxembourg National Library / Bolles + Wilson + WW+ architektur + management - Exterior Photography, Facade](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/6049/67a5/f91c/81cf/f300/030b/newsletter/BnL_10_©_CR_4445-192.jpg?1615423386)
-
Architects: Bolles + Wilson, WW+ architektur + management
- Area: 39000 m²
- Year: 2019
-
Photographs:Christian Richters
-
Manufacturers: Sto, Beton Feidt, Güstrower Klinkerbau, L2M3
![Luxembourg National Library / Bolles + Wilson + WW+ architektur + management - Exterior Photography, Door](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/6049/6865/f91c/81cf/f300/0313/newsletter/BnL_10_©_CR_4445-264.jpg?1615423577)
Text description provided by the architects. The task of the Patrimonial and Universal Library is the housing and protection of Cultural and Intellectual Texts - a foundation stone of the intellectual community. For the BnL a compact, energy-efficient building volume houses a wide range of functional entities. A transparent imposing, but at the same time inviting, facade fronts onto the Avenue John F. Kennedy. Internal functions unfold sequentially from this entrance gesture; Foyer +, Café (with upper-level Conference + seminar rooms), next to the Reading Room – a landscape of terraced workstations and bookshelves.
![Luxembourg National Library / Bolles + Wilson + WW+ architektur + management - Exterior Photography, Brick](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/6049/681d/f91c/8113/8000/02fa/newsletter/BnL_10_©_CR_4445-212.jpg?1615423498)
The principal building block is located deep within the building, a central and compact archive over five levels. This secure core is encased by public spaces and forms a plateau on top of which the largest bookshelf area and reading-deck are found. The principle facade material is large format red pre-cast concrete panels - a patchwork due to a variety of surface treatments (water/sand-jetting, acid washing).
![Luxembourg National Library / Bolles + Wilson + WW+ architektur + management - Interior Photography, Kitchen, Beam](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/6049/6842/f91c/8113/8000/02fd/newsletter/BnL_10_©_CR_4445-234.jpg?1615423539)
![Luxembourg National Library / Bolles + Wilson + WW+ architektur + management - Image 18 of 29](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/6049/67ce/f91c/8113/8000/02f6/newsletter/BNL_31_19_EG-final-EG_mit_Scala.jpg?1615423416)
![Luxembourg National Library / Bolles + Wilson + WW+ architektur + management - Interior Photography, Kitchen](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/6049/66e6/f91c/8113/8000/02e2/newsletter/BnL_10_©_CR_4445-113.jpg?1615423188)
The architectural intention is homogeneity, a material unity of the overall building volume, with an undercurrent of surface articulation. The archive plateau is encased in a bastion-like wrapping of stone-filled Gabion cages. Planning prioritized energy efficiency; technical installations take second place in favour of an activating of the building's thermal mass to engender a sustainable interior climate.
![Luxembourg National Library / Bolles + Wilson + WW+ architektur + management - Interior Photography](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/6049/685d/f91c/8113/8000/02ff/medium_jpg/BnL_10_©_CR_4445-252.jpg?1615423557)
Geothermal heat pumps are installed below the foundation plate and on the roof photovoltaic panels. Interior materials were chosen for their thermally absorbing capacity to allow night-purging, an activating of the building mass to dampen temperature extremes. The cradle-to-cradle principle was wherever possible the referent in choosing materials. The wide-span roof structure in laminated timber is, via air circulation within the roof layer, also thermally activated.
![Luxembourg National Library / Bolles + Wilson + WW+ architektur + management - Interior Photography, Dining room, Chair](https://images.adsttc.com/media/images/6049/683d/f91c/81cf/f300/030f/newsletter/BnL_10_©_CR_4445-218.jpg?1615423534)