Bibliothe?que Alexis de Tocqueville is a public library for the metropolitan region Caen la Mer in Normandy, France. The 12,000 m2 multimedia library is located at the tip of the peninsula that extends out from the city of Caen to the English Channel. Its key position ? between the city?s historic core and an area of Caen that is being developed ? supports the city?s ambition for the library to become a new civic center. The library?s glass facade visually connects the adjacent park, pedestrian pathway and waterfront plaza to the interior and together with two large ground floor entrances at both sides of the building, enables a fluid interaction of the library with its surroundings. On the upper floors, the urban belvedere provides unobstructed views in all four directions.
© Delfino Sisto Legnani and Marco Cappelletti

Architects: OMA

Location: Normandy, France

Architects: OMA + Barcode Architects

Partner: Rem Koolhaas

Area: 12500.0 m2

Project Year: 2017

Photographs: Delfino Sisto Legnani and Marco Cappelletti, Philippe Ruault

Competition Project Manager Client: Barcode Architects: Dirk Peters

Competition Associate In Charge: Cle?ment Blanchet

Competition Team: Cristina Ampatzidou, Joshua Boyd, Nils Christa, Marc Dahmen, Guillaume Durand, Alice Gre?goire, Simon de Jong, Anthony Joyeux, Noe?mie Lavio...