Product Description
The book describes the building of the British library and explores it in the context of its underlying ideas and aspirations in a way that will be of interest both to those with a general interest and to architects.
From the Author
Virtually everybody who uses or visits the British Library likes the building; usually, more than likes it – is moved by it, even say they ‘love’ it, that it makes them feel ‘dignified’ or, for instance, ‘raises [their] spirits’. This is rare in contemporary architecture, particularly in such an enormous building of highly complex technical and practical requirements. The fact that people respond in this way to the building fulfils an explicit, central intention of the architect in its design and I wanted to explain what it is about the architecture which prompts such reactions and allows the solution of all the technical and practical requirements with such conspicuous success. In other words, I wanted to explain how the architecture works and to go beyond that to explain where the forms and language of this architecture came from in the intentions, sources and development of the design.
The building is both monumental and intimate, as befits its purpose, and I wanted to explain how these contradictory attributes are embodied through exploiting the ambiguity which make all art possible.
I also wanted to do all this in a way which is clearly and readily understandable by all and shows how architecture can help us make sense of ourselves and the world in which we live.
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