4/5 Abdulkarim A. 4 months ago on Google • 203 reviews
Gunnar
Asplund's
design
of
Stockholm's
Public
Library
in
the
1920s
marked
a
transition
between
Neoclassicism
and
Rationalism
in
European
architecture.
The
library,
completed
in
1928,
was
a
fusion
of
classical
and
modern
elements,
influenced
by
a
desire
to
create
a
national
identity
in
Swedish
architecture.
Asplund's
library
design
was
monumental,
featuring
a
cylindrical
reading
room
with
three
terraced
levels
of
open
shelving.
The
central
cylinder's
walls,
reaching
the
full
height
of
42
meters,
were
adorned
with
roughly
stuccoed
finishes
and
illuminated
by
a
ring
of
windows
near
the
flat
ceiling.
The
reading
room
was
reminiscent
of
both
Etienne
Louis-Boullée's
work
and
the
Roman
Pantheon.
While
Asplund's
architectural
contemporaries
included
Walter
Gropius,
Mies
van
der
Rohe,
and
Le
Corbusier,
his
work
earned
him
a
significant
place
in
Sweden's
architectural
history.
The
Stockholm
Public
Library
became
a
defining
structure
in
Swedish
architecture
during
a
time
of
transition,
reflecting
Sweden's
shift
from
National
Romanticism
to
rational
Modernism.
This
iconic
library
was
a
product
of
Sweden's
evolving
architectural
landscape,
emphasizing
both
national
heritage
and
global
influences,
and
symbolized
the
nation's
architectural
identity
during
a
period
of
uncertainty
and
transformation.
Note:
This
library
has
been
recognized
as
one
of
the
world's
most
beautiful
libraries
by
Conde
Nast
Traveler
magazine.
Furthermore,
it
welcomes
visitors
at
any
time
of
the
day.
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