Canadian firm Diamond Schmitt Architects has revealed a new building for Ottawa's public library system, featuring a curvilinear roof and glass walls that offer expansive views of the city.
Diamond Schmitt Architects are working with local studio KWC Architects to design the project comprising a five-storey joint facility for Ottawa Public Library and Library and Archives Canada (OPL-LAC) in the capital city's downtown.

It will be located on a sloped plot overlooking an escarpment and the Ottawa River, and be close to Canada's National Holocaust Monument designed by Daniel Libeskind. It will replace Ottawa's current public library a 15-minute walk away.
The design is strongly influenced by the site's natural surroundings, with large expanses of glazing that will wrap around the building and provide vistas of the adjacent river and Gatineau Hills in Quebec.
"The building's design draws from Ottawa's rich history and natural beauty with a dynamic form reminiscent of the nearby Ottawa River," said Diamond Schmitt Architects.
Ontario limestone will clad much of the structure to relate to the escarpment below, while a wavy roofline is intended to offer a reference to Ottawa's riverfront.
"The curvilinear form of the roof on the building relates to the flow of the majestic Ottawa River," founding principal Donald Schmitt added in a video revealing the project.

OPL-LAC will measure 216,000-square-feet (20,067 square-metres) and include reading rooms, an arch...