OBA Mercatorplein, located in a national monument designed by Berlage in 1925-1927, has been modernised. Through this library renovation, the client’s wish of becoming an intergenerational neighbourhood-oriented meeting place in the heart of De Baarsjes district, has been fulfilled. The design takes the current condition of the building, enhances the existing qualities and marries them with careful new insertions into the fabric of the structure to create a learning environment in activity based surroundings.
One of the original concepts of the Berlage building was to showcase the internal functions onto the street, adding an active frontage of shops onto the streetscape. The renovation brings back this notion, with the main concept of the layout dividing the programme into “shops”, aiming to showcase the building’s activities and bringing the streetscape to life.
A big-book interior wall displaying the collection of the library meanders around the periphery of the building, linking a series of enclosed and open spaces including informal study areas, a multifunctional space, a reading room and a living-learning space.
As this internal wall continues to journey its way along the outside edge of the building, an atmospheric and playful children’s library is created. In this area, an artistic, colourful interpretation of a historical map of Mercator is printed on the surface of the floor, signifying the neighbourhood’s history.
Facing the front of the library, two other “shops” in the form of a multifunctional maker’s space and reading café are positioned. Situated along the glazed façade of the building, they exhibit the function of the library to the outside world and make a connection with the street running along the length of the building, relating to the shopfronts of the Berlage plan.
The design seeks to maximise natural light and make this beneficial for all internal spaces. It achieves this through highlighting existing roof lights and bringing them back to life to perform a function that was originally intended for them. The ceiling is also elevated to make the space feel more generous. The materiality and identity of the internal spaces focuses on creating a library that is flexible, open, intimate and welcoming.