A transparent living room for the village

Samling in Sand, Norway by Helen & Hard

The new library in the Norwegian village of Sand offers both culture and literature, while at the same time creating a focal point for the community, with a main street on one side and the church and park on the other. The transparent entrance, with its main walkway leading straight through and out the other side, creates openness and invites people in. The hope is that visitors will also want to stay for a while, have a coffee and leaf through a book.

The two-storey library is built around an atrium that opens up to the roof, letting the exposed glulam frame with its soft curves define the space. The technical fixtures and light fittings are integrated in the ceiling and concealed by lamellae that continue down the walls and join with the bookshelves to form a unified whole. The lamellae also serve as a sunshade in front of the windows.

The vast majority of the building is made of wood, drawing on the tactile properties of the material while also reflecting Norway’s cultural heritage.

Read more at helenhard.no

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