New Library Buildings in Europe

a	name and address
1	Type of library	national
2	Name of library / Name of mother institution	National Library of Latvia / Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia
3	Address	3 Mukusalas St., Riga, Latvia LV-1048
4	Phone / Fax / Email	+371 67365250 lnb@lnb.lv
5	Name of the director of the library	Andris Vilks
6	Contact person for enquiries	Nita Apsite

b	population served
7	Current readership, number of registered readers	100200
8	Number of full time students
9	Number of part time students
10	Number of staff in institution

c	the old/original building(s)
11	Total floor area	16749 sq. metres
12	Number of reader seats	260
13	Total capacity of shelving	2822330 volumes [2.8 million vol. books/periodicals, 1.3 million other (2012). Located in 6 buildings, exhausted shelving space in several departments.]
14	…in open access storage	1145 linear metres
15	…in closed access stacks
16	Number of library staff	254
17	Opening hours to the public	39 hours/week; 250 days/year

a	architect(s)
18	Firm	Gunnar Birkerts Architects; Modra Gelza Birojs; Gelzis-Smits-Arhetips; Hill Interanational.
19	Project Architect	Gunnar Birkerts
20	Type of project

b	aims of the new building
21	Short description of the main objectives and purposes of the project	Six buildings under one roof, more space for readers, individual and group study rooms, dining and other amenities, barrier-free environment for disabled, increased shelving space, incl. open stacks, environment more suitable for material preservation, new ICT and audiovisual equipment, conference, seminar, exhibition facilities.

c	special features
22	Site	Situated on a river bank, facing the historical city centre.
23	Architecture	The building references several Latvian folklore and literary archetypes – the mythical palace that embodies knowledge and freedom, the glass mountain that symbolizes the hardships one has to overcome to reach his goal, and the shape of the traditional barn architecture. Separate technical building.

	divided into
24	Total gross floor area	40704 sq. metres
25	Open access services	10271 sq. metres
	special rooms for (26-29)
26	Audiovisual	554 sq. metres
27	Computers
28	Special collections
29	Seminar room(s)	300 sq. metres
	special activities (30-32)
30	Exhibition space	1098 sq. metres [Incl. Book museum 265 sq.m.]
31	Lecture hall	1519 sq. metres [Conference and concert hall ("Ziedonis hall") - 731 sq.m.; convertible conference/seminar rooms - 788 sq.m.]
32	Public refreshments	1148 sq. metres [Caffes and dining - 989 sq.m.; retail services - 159 sq.m.]
33	Administration and staff areas	7832 sq. metres
34	Closed access stacks	5004 sq. metres
35	Circulations areas (corridors, stairs, lifts), toilets, technical rooms, etc.	3168 sq. metres
36	Further information	14 levels; 11 public levels; reading rooms in 8 levels.
37	Number of reader seats (total)	1000
	divided into
38	Audiovisual	54
39	Computers	330 [Stationary computers.]
40	Seminar room(s)	110 [6 rooms (6-16 pers.).]
41	Regular	300 [Seats in silent areas.]

b	total potential capacity of shelving
42	Books and periodicals (total)	65000000 volumes
	including
43	Open access stacks	350000 volumes
44	Closed access stacks	64650000 volumes [Incl. compact shelving.]
45	Compact shelving
46	Audiovisual materials	170000 volumes
47	Other	Maps and globes 20000 items; sheet music 300000 folders; small prints 1 million items; manuscripts 50000 items.
48	Number of staff required to operate the new library	351

c	mechanical features
49	Ventilation/Air Conditioning	According to standard requirements.
50	Heating	According to standard requirements.
51	Lighting	According to standard requirements.
52	Acoustics	The Conference and concert hall is equipped with a transformable acoustic system suitable for conferences, live music, and film viewing.
53	Lifts, elevators, escalators	Lifts, escalators.
54	Book transportation system	Vertical by lifts.
55	Theft detection	RFID system.
56	Building management system
57	Type of IT infrastructure	10 Gb Internet; 1 Gb cat. 6 LAN and WiFi
58	Other

59	Planning, preliminary brief	1998 - 2003
60	Architectural competition	1998
61	Period of project
62	Opening of the construction work	June 2008
63	Conclusion of the construction	December 2013
64	Furnishing and moving the collections	January 1014 - August 2014
65	Opening of the new building for public	August 29, 2014

66	Site	8822000 euro [Incl. compensations to owners and occupiers.]
67	Building	197780000 euro
68	Furniture and equipment	17216000 euro
69	Fees
70	Total	267500000 euro
71	Operating costs
72	Funding (Type of commission and source of funding)	State

Nomination for the AIA Gold Medal 2013

A documentary
		The Chronicles of the Last Temple. Dir. Davis Simanis. Ego Media, 2013. Film, 70 min.

	doctype:	plan
	caption:	Basement Floor
	copyright owner:	National Library of Latvia
	doctype:	plan
	caption:	Ground Floor
	copyright owner:	National Library of Latvia
	doctype:	plan
	caption:	5th Floor
	copyright owner:	National Library of Latvia
	doctype:	plan
	caption:	11th Floor
	copyright owner:	National Library of Latvia

	doctype:	interior
	caption:	Entrance Hall
	copyright owner:	Jānis Dripe

	doctype:	exterior
	caption:	Principal Facade
	copyright owner:	Nacionālā Būvkompāniju apvienība

	doctype:	exterior
	caption:	Back Facade
	copyright owner:	Jānis Dripe
	doctype:	plan
	caption:	Mezzanine
	copyright owner:	National Library of Latvia

	doctype:	interior
	caption:	A Staircase
	copyright owner:	Nacionālā Būvkompāniju apvienība

General Information