Description
The Bibliotheca Alexandrina is a revival
of the legendary ancient library built in classical
Greek times. The rebuilding of the library has
returned Alexandria to its former status as a
centre for learning and exchange and provided
the city with a landmark building. The spirit
of international cooperation in which the library
was conceived, funded, designed and implemented
has been maintained in its management to create
an institution that is truly global in its outlook.
At the same time, the building is technically
outstanding.
Alexandria is Egypt’s main port, forming
a large industrial and commercial centre and an
important summer resort. In 1974, the University
of Alexandria began a campaign for the rebuilding
of the ancient library, choosing the current site,
which is believed to be close to the original
location. In 1988, Egypt’s President Mubarak
took up the project at a national level and an
international competition, organized by the Egyptian
government in collaboration with the International
Union of Architects, was won by the Norwegian
company Snøhetta in 1989. Detailed archaeological
excavations of the site were carried out before
construction began in 1995, and the building opened
in October 2002.
The library was designed as a tilting disc rising
from the ground, with four levels below ground
and seven above. The scale of the building is
thus minimized at close quarters, so it does not
overwhelm the visitor. The facility provides a
main reading room with seating for 2,000 readers,
six specialist libraries, three museums, seven
research centres, three permanent galleries, space
for temporary exhibitions, a planetarium, a public
plaza, offices, a cafeteria and all the necessary
services required for such a complex. The circular
form of the library also has strong symbolic significance
and an iconic presence. Its exterior wall is clad
with four thousand granite blocks carved with
letters from the alphabets of the world.
The main reading area is a single open space with
eight terraces, each accommodating a different
subject section, starting from the roots of knowledge
(philosophy, history, religion, geography) and
ending with the latest technologies.
The substructure of the library is the most innovative
part of the project. The half submersion of the
building 18 metres below ground on a site close
to the sea raised serious structural problems.
Its circular diaphragm wall is considered the
largest in the world, with a diameter of 160 metres
and a height of 35 metres. The foundations are
unique in that they were designed as tension piles
with a heavy raft foundation on the south side
and as compression piles to take the weight on
the north side.
One of the most successful features of the building
is its use of natural light, drawn in through
glazed panels on the roof. The orientation of
the roof panels was carefully studied on computer
at the design stage to introduce maximum levels
of natural light without direct sunlight.
The library and the planetarium are linked at
basement level, beneath a public plaza, to an
existing conference centre, while a pedestrian
bridge spans the plaza between the university
and the coastal road.
Most of the users are students from the University
of Alexandria and local schools. Various conferences
held in the complex have received regional and
international attention, raising the profile of
the whole city. The library has also acted as
a catalyst for improvements throughout the city,
such as renovating roads, building bridges and
upgrading hotels. The library is seen as a progressive
landmark for the country as a whole, reinstating
Egypt on the map as an open, modern centre of
cultural exchange.
Jury Citation
This building has received an Award because it
shows an innovative approach to the design and
placement of a large, symbolic form on one of
the most important waterfronts in the world. From
its inception through an international competition
to its design and construction by many international
companies, and in its current financial management,
the project provides a model for other such projects
in bringing together the international community
and encouraging cooperation and commitment from
society as a whole.
While the building is groundbreaking in architectural
and technological terms, it also responds sensitively
to a wide spectrum of issues, including politics,
religion, culture and history. The bold ‘tilted
disc’ forms an icon while delivering a highly
formal and monumental building. The technical
challenges of constructing such a large development
close to the water’s edge and within an
urban setting have been embraced and dealt with
through the use of advanced technologies. The
form also provides a clear organization and functions
well for the rich variety of programmes it houses,
while acting as a catalyst for improvements throughout
the city. Finally, the project celebrates learning
and brings knowledge to societies across all cultures,
playing a crucial role in the progress of civilization.
Project
Data
Client
Bibliotheca Alexandrina, Egypt (H.E.
President Hosni Mubarak, Chair, Council of Patrons;
H.E. Mrs Suzanne Mubarak, Chair, Board of Trustees;
Ismaïl Serageldin, Director; Mohsen Zahran,
Project Director, General Organization for the
Alexandria Library, 1995–2001).
Sponsors
Government of Egypt; Ministry of Education, Egypt;
University of Alexandria, Egypt; United Nations
Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization,
France.
Architects
Snøhetta Hamza Consortium, Egypt: Craig
Dykers, Christoph Kapeller and Kjetil Trædal
Thorsen, Principal Architects, Snøhetta
AS, Norway; Mohamed Sharkass, Head of Architecture,
Hamza Associates, Egypt.
Engineers
Hamza Associates, Egypt: Mamdouh Hamza, Chairman
and geotechnical engineer; Mashhour Ghunaim and
Ahmed Rashed, structural engineers; Ibrahim Helal,
electrical engineer; Ali Omar, mechanical engineer;
Mohsen Abdou, plumbing and fire-fighting engineer;
Tarek Yassine, site engineer.
Consultants
Jorunn Sannes, Norway, fine arts for stone wall;
Schumann Smith, UK, management cost and specifications;
Lichtdesign, Germany, custom lighting design;
Multiconsult, Norway, acoustics; Warrington Fire
Research, UK, fire and life safety; Stewart Helms,
UK, security.
Contractors
Radio Trevi, Italy; Arab Contractors, Egypt; Balfour
Beatty, UK.
| Competition
|
September 1989 |
| Commission |
February 1994 |
| Design |
May 1994–February 1996 |
| Construction |
May 1995–July 2001 |
| Inauguration |
October 2002 |
| Site Area |
45,000 m2 |
| Built area |
85,405 m2 |
| Cost |
US$ 218,000,000 |
Project
Photography
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