Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Egypt): 2002

Bibliotheca Alexandrina (Egypt): 2002 

The Library of Alexandria was one of the largest libraries in the world and part of a research institution called "Mouseion"- which was a place devoted for the muses. This library does not exist anymore. The library started to decline gradually over the course of 800 years. It was accidentally burned by Julius Caesar during his civil war in 48 BC. The ancient library was located two hundred meters from the current library.  

The current Bibliotheca Alexandrina was built during the Ptolemaic dynasty. The Bibliotheca was inaugurated in 2002, it was a commemoration of the ancient library. Supported by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and by the former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak. The new library is defined as the world's window on Egypt and vice versa. It’s a library for the new digital age and a center of learning and dialogue. 

The current library is vast. It has shelf space for eight million books. The collection is shelved so that the oldest materials occupy the lowest level, forming a foundation for later works. The main reading room covers 20,000 square meters. The building also has a conference center, museums, art galleries for temporary exhibitions, a planetarium and a laboratory. The planetarium is a futuristic lit sphere in front of the library. It shows 3D films focused on space exploration, all aimed to educating children. It also has an Exploratorium, as well as a History of Science Museum underneath. In addition to the main reading room, there are four specialized libraries, a children's library, youths library, a library for the blind and a multimedia library. 

For the new library, they wanted to create something unique and inspiring. UNESCO organized a design competition in 1988. The winner was a Norwegian architecture company called Snøhetta.  The design consists of a disc-shaped architecture that represents the revolution of time and the constant flow of knowledge. The goal was to make the architecture as original as possible. They incorporated the human face features. Like the "eyelids" in the building allow the entrance of sunlight into the library and it filters the rays, so there is no glare. The eyelashes on the outside protect the building from natural causes. The colors from the earth like blue and green were chosen for the library. The blue was supposed to resemble the sky and the green resembled the plants and trees. The exterior walls were of gray granite, carved with characters from 120 different human scripts. The shape of a lotus flower ornaments the ceiling. This symbol runs throughout the history of Egyptian culture. The lotus flower symbolizes rebirth which connects with the rebirth of the Ancient Library and of knowledge. Materials used in this building were wood paneling, granite, and oxidized brass to help minimize the sound while creating elegance. 

 Funding for the construction was given from a number of institutions totaling $220 million. The library is a nonprofit organization that’s runs off of charitable donations. The library was awarded the best construction design in the world for year 2000 from Civil Engineering a British engineering and construction magazine.  

  

                                        Sources

“AD Classics: Bibliotheca Alexandrina / Snøhetta.” ArchDaily, 2 Feb. 2015, www.archdaily.com/592824/ad-classics-bibliotheca-alexandrina-snohetta.  

 “Bibliotheca Alexandrina.” Snøhetta, 12 Mar. 2017, snohetta.com/project/5-bibliotheca-alexandrina. 

Zakzouk, Sarah. “Past And Present: The Bibliotheca Alexandrina.” Culture Trip, 25 Mar. 2013, theculturetrip.com/africa/egypt/articles/past-and-present-the-bibliotheca-alexandrina/. 
Hamza, M.1,2 and M.3,4 Ghoneim. "Foundation and Structural Design of the Bibliotheca Alexandrina." Structures & Buildings, vol. 156, no. 3, Aug. 2003, pp. 235-241