THE FUTURE IS TECH

Library of the Future

by Li Haohan
11 Apr 2017

An architecture firm proposes a design that brings together the library experience and the digital convenience

A whole new generation is feeding off information provided by the Internet, turning a working knowledge of the Dewey Decimal and Library of Congress, as well as a navigational familiarity with the layout of most libraries arcane. But Russian architecture practice Oleg Klodt is doing what it can to help preserve the experience of doing research in a library with the convenience of digital amenities.

The idea of the project is to create a personal library for book lovers. Could you describe the design concept and how the design is going to help?

We were interested in the idea of designing an interactive library; it's an interesting project to create a library that offers full authorization, enabling users to make a rapid search for any kind of information. In designing this library, we were setting out the ‘Library of the Future’ where information will be centralised for many years.

We envisage libraries on this scale in every major city, and all with the same design. This will be a vast data resource, offering texts from Ancient Egyptian papyruses to the latest trends in modern art. The future will be the speed of thought, and time that will increasingly never suffice.

Today, we spend hours researching reliable, high-quality information, but in this ‘Library of the Future’ we will only require an equivalent of five minutes.

How are the books stored, and how does the system work for users looking for them?

Physically, the books will be stored in book-storage units. The library as a whole operates as a vast electronic information bank. All of the books will have been transcribed into electronic versions, and located around the building’s floors according to primary themes – theology on the top floor, art on the penultimate floor, and so forth in this layout downwards.

There will be 15 floors altogether. Visitors will arrive in a central lobby space, where they will enter a capsule lift. They can enter the information they are searching for on the monitor inside the lift. The lift will then carry them to the right floor and section for the information needed, and a transparent bridge will lead them to the section where the spine of the book itself is located.

By inserting a card, the information is transferred to the visitor's computer; if they need to do their work in the library itself, they can do so in allocated workspaces on each floor.

We wanted to retain the appearance of the actual books, so we've left an imprint image of each original book on the monitors.

Modern technology is killing the feelings of warmth and touch we get from books, and these feelings are among the most valuable and alluring in life.

What are the special functions of the design? Are there any environment-friendly features?

The primary functional feature is the speed at which information is accessed. The environmental protection aspects are that forests are no longer felled to produce paper, and thus our planet's 'lungs' are not completely destroyed.

What are the smart technologies employed?

The interests profile of each registered user is compiled during a special authorisation membership for the library, and during their searches they will be continually be offered relevant literature. This predictive system of searching the database is known a collaborative filtration.

Can you explain the reason for using the transparent floors and walls, as well as the clean and simple environment? How can the books be preserved and protected from sunlight, for instance?

We were interested in creating a light and airy space that seems almost ‘levitational’ – in order not to distract library users from the deep thought processes they're involved in while visiting.

As we said earlier, the actual physical books will be stored in special book storage units, predicated on ideal physical conditions for their storage. The actual books will be available by specially submitted request, and by prior order can be inspected in special boxes.

Can this design be adapted to a smaller house? What would be the requirements?

It would be a very simple process to adapt the interiors of the library to use in other buildings, by taking out a subscription with this library. All one needs at home would be a computer, plus a conducive space for delving into the ideas in the books covering the issues you want to research.

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