Project 1B — Bibliotheque Jussieu

Bibliotheque Jussieu is a competition project that had never been built. This analysis is based on the original drawings.

The library was designed for the Jussieu campus in Paris. The configuration of the campus is based on the grid system. The library is not connected to any other building, but it is the part of the system because it based on the same grid axes.

In the organizational system diagram we are highlighting the program of the library. One can see that the lower levels consist mostly of book stacks, while upper levels are devoted mostly to study purposes which brings most people to the upper levels.

The main idea of the circulation in the library is a continuous ramp that goes from bottom to top. Instead of a simple stacking of one floor on top of the other, sections of each floor are manipulated to connect with those above and below. Visitors may walk through the stacks and browse through the titles on display. Elevators and escalators made a linear movement throughout the building possible and can bring a person directly from bottom to top and vice versa.

These diagrams demonstrate the main concept of the design. The floor surface is a continuous ramp, that allows to create different spaces. Each space is unique, some of them are narrow, some wide, others go through several levels.

The material diagram shows that the building is very open. Only few elements of the facade are opaque that makes the building almost transparent, reveals the internal structure and lets big amount of light inside.

The structural system of the building is based on a regular grid. The main components are: steel columns and reinforced concrete slabs. Most of the columns are vertical and go from top to bottom, but some of the columns are angled and connect only two levels. Stairwell’s walls are also structural and serve as additional support.