WAF World Architecture Festival Awards 2014

The new library at Dalarna University, Dalarna Media Library, is now offi cially open to the public. The building that reinterprets the library in a multi functional design is laid out as an approximately 3.000 m2 ’spiral of knowledge’ that naturally integrates into the surrounding landscape at the Dalarna University Campus in Falun, Sweden.
Together with and international team ADEPT has designed the library and the surrounding urban spaces as a dynamic meeting place with activities for students, staff and visitors to the Dalarna University.


Dalarna Media Library is organized as a ’spiral of knowledge’ identifying a new library culture that stages a wide spectre of experiences and inspiration. The natural terrain of the surrounding landscape is continued as a ramp that spirals up through the central atrium of the library - its heart - where all search of information and orientation take place.
The spiral of knowledge creates a variated study environment allowing the students to move about in the heart space of the library or to withdraw to more quiet and tranquille areas along the facade. The variation of sound levels and the diff erentiation of activities creates a versatile library that is rich in experiences. The building has its very own spatial character uniting library and multi media functions to create synergy with the existing university complex.
The characteristic double facade with refl ecting horisontal lamellae fronting a wood cladding is developed in collaboration with Danish artist Jeppe Hein. Instead of creating an isolated piece of art work Jeppe Hein and ADEPT has developed the competition design for the facade into a detailed and refi ned expression with an immateriality that mirrors its surroundings and the people in it with broken refl ections. The lamellae are made from highly polished stainless steel while their wooden background is a siberian larch.
The new library is the main attraction and new entrance arriving to the university. To emphasize this, the surrounding spaces are transformed from a large parking lot to an integrated urban plaza, which handles the user and visitor fl ows at the same time as it optimizes the public spaces around the building into defi ned activity zones and intimite recreational areas. The library functions are pushed out to the new plaza marking the new main entrance with life and activities. Dalarna Media Library will come to attract the community of Falun acting as a motivating generator for both citizens and local businesses.

” The library has really become the study environment and the meeting place that we hoped for it to be. The students have taken it to their hearts instantly and uses group spaces and the rest of the study options intensively. Often all the group rooms are fully booked. The Library has even become a very popular place to meet eachother – and already we will have a load of activities planned to take place in the arena.”
Margareta Malmgren, Library Director, Dalarna university

Dalarna Media Library is designed and planned by ADEPT (DK) on the winning proposal developed in collaboration with Sou Fujimoto
Architects (JP), Rambøll Engineers (DK) and Topotek1 Landscape (DE). The facade is designed together with Danish artist Jeppe Hein (DK).

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Dalarna Media Arena matches a new library culture, staging a wealth of opportunities for events and inspiration. The library and plaza at Högskolan Dalarna will be the city’s third space – a dynamic meeting point with activities for students, employees and visitors.

The library is organized as a ”spiral of knowledge”. The sloping terrain continues in a ramp through the building. Wrapping itself the ramp creates a spiral-shaped space - the heart of the building for information seeking and easy orientation. This organization of program creates various learning environments where students can take part in the vibrant life of the library as well as retreat into various study niches. The different sound levels and activities create a diverse and eventful library.

The library has its own spatial character in which library and multimedia functions unite and create synergy with the existing university. Wooden facades integrate the building in the surroundings, reflecting the local tradition of using wood as construction material.

Dalarna Media Plaza is created in addition to the library – together they form a new landmark for Högskolan Dalarna. Through a simple reorganization the car park becomes a new surface with ‘islands’ of activities. The programming of the Plaza is flexible and will be developed in the user process. The Plaza, which is a mix of recreational functions and furniture, serves as arrival area and hang-out space for users of Högskolan, the library and visitors in the area.

This project will help to attract people in the neighborhood, thereby anchoring the library in the local community. In addition the ambition is to project strengthen the collaboration between regional and international educational and research institutions. With its public functions and activities Dalarna Media Library will become a dynamo in the area and an attraction for both local inhabitants and businesses. Activities in the café, exhibitions, lectures, continuing education, etc. will provide fertile ground for international exchange and interdisciplinary collaboration.

Dalarna Media Arena is designed by an international team consisting of ADEPT (DK) and Sou Fujimoto Architects (JP) in collaboration with Rambøll (DK), Topotek1 (DE) and Bosch & Fjord (DK). ADEPT and Sou Fujimoto Architects also joined forces for the Deichmanske Library competition in Oslo, Norway.

The jury minutes stated: “In conclusion it’s an exciting building rich on variety and with many possible meeting points integrated in a coherent environment […] The proposal has solved the total program in an interesting, exciting and playful manner – inside as well as outside.”