Stanton Williams has been appointed to design the Clermont-Ferrand Metropolitan Area Library in France, seeing off competition from OMA, Snohetta, Wilmotte & Associes, and Christian de Portzamparc. Designed in collaboration with local practice Marcillon Thuillier Architectes, the new library will act as a social and creative hub in the heart of Clermont-Ferrand, with its 11,500 square meter area making it the largest in central France.
Stanton Williams’ concept for the library inserts a jewel-like piece of contemporary architecture at the heart of the restored historic Hotel-Dieu hospital in the center of the city. The 17th-century hospital and garden will be reimagined as a shared home for the new library and its collections.
At the heart of the scheme is a double-height, light-filled central forum, inserted as a giant “glass jewel” box into the horseshoe shape of the existing building. Conceived as a free space for research, discovery, and dialogue, the translucent glass structure mediates between earth and sky, books and people, building and garden, historic city and the spectacular presence of the Puy de Dome on the horizon.
We are delighted with the opportunity to work on a major public building in France and to reinforce our strong links with Europe. In a time when local libraries and community centers here in the UK are being closed and under increasing budget pressure, the new Metropolitan Library in Clermont Ferrand is a bright example that there is faith in the importance and transformational power of access to literature and culture that our cities and communities need more than ever.
-Patrick Richard, Principal Director, Stanton Williams
Stanton Williams has been appointed as a Lead Architect in collaboration with local practice Marcillon Thuillier Architectes, Rémi Fromont (Heritage Architects), Moz Paysage (Landscape Architects), Eckersley O’Callaghan (Structural and Facade Engineers), Louis Choulet Ingenierie (M&E & Sustainability Engineers), Salto Ingenierie (Acoustics Consultants), Cartlidge Levene (Signage and Wayfinding), Betrec Ingenierie (Quantity Surveyor and Project Manager) and APAVE (Asbestos, Lead and Radon Surveyors).
News via: Stanton Williams
Stale_Eriksen.jpg?1562242941 "Stanton Williams Inserts \"Jewel Box\" Library into Historic French Hospital")
Stale_Eriksen.jpg?1562242967 "Stanton Williams Inserts \"Jewel Box\" Library into Historic French Hospital")
