Kengo Kuma completes the Ibsen Library in Skien, Norway
The Ibsen Library, designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates in collaboration with Mad Arkitekter and BuroHappold, was commissioned in celebration of the renowned playwright Henrik Ibsen, who was born in Skien, Norway, the location of the new library. Selected as the winning entry of a design competition, the Ibsen Library introduces a new cultural hub to the city of Skien that houses a robust program to engage the surrounding community. The footprint of the library covers the entire site boundary, giving it a generous floor area at the ground and underground levels. Both levels have open plans with no fixes walls and low bookshelves that act as soft dividers. The ground floor is seamlessly connected to the park on the outside, encouraging a connectedness between the indoor and outdoor environments. The underground level offers adult and children-focused program with an outdoor amphitheater the raises up toward the exterior ground level. The entire curvilinear facade is covered in tall gl...
The Ibsen Library, designed by Kengo Kuma & Associates in collaboration with Mad Arkitekter and BuroHappold, was commissioned in celebration of the renowned playwright Henrik Ibsen, who was born in Skien, Norway, the location of the new library.
Selected as the winning entry of a design competition, the Ibsen Library introduces a new cultural hub to the city of Skien that houses a robust program to engage the surrounding community.
The footprint of the library covers the entire site boundary, giving it a generous floor area at the ground and underground levels. Both levels have open plans with no fixes walls and low bookshelves that act as soft dividers. The ground floor is seamlessly connected to the park on the outside, encouraging a connectedness between the indoor and outdoor environments.
The underground level offers adult and children-focused program with an outdoor amphitheater the raises up toward the exterior ground level.
The entire curvilinear facade is covered in tall gl...