Opus 54. Eiermann, Wash, D

Opus 54. Eiermann, Wash, D

Edition Axel Menges GmbH Esslinger Straße 24 D-70736 Stuttgart-Fellbach tel. +49-711-574759 fax +49-711-574784 www.AxelMenges.de Opus 70 Gunnar Birkerts, National Library of Latvia, Riga With an essay by Janis Dripe and photographs by Indrikis Sturma- nis. 60 pp. with ca. 70 illus., 280 x 300 mm, hard-cover, English ISBN 978-3-932565-70-0 Euro 36.00, £ 29.00, US $ 49.00, $A 68.00 The building of the National Library of Latvia is a landmark of the capital city of Riga, a spatial symbol and architectural icon, created by one of the 20th-century-renowned modernists – the Latvian-born American architect Gunnar Birkerts. His metaphorically saturated and expressionist architecture has established its permanent place in the history of contemporary architecture. The unique creative style of Birkerts stems from his deep cultural roots in Latvia, his architec- tural studies in Germany after World War II and the first years of architectural practice in the USA learning from the Finnish architect Eero Saarinen and the Japanese architect Minoru Yamasaki. Birkerts was invited to Latvia to design the National Library as early as in 1988. Three years later, Latvia restored its independence and the formation of a new state delayed accomplishment of Bir- kerts’ ambitious idea for 25 years. The idea, the design and tech- nology changed as changed the times becoming a symbol of a new and free state. Thanks to its content and concurrent process- es for reestablishment of the national state the building acquired a symbolic and meaningful name: the »Castle of Light«. In 1999, the idea for construction of the National Library of Latvia received the official UNESCO patronage and support, the design and construc- tion of the building have been evaluated by a panel of prominent Distributors UNESCO experts. The pyramidal structure, which rises 68 meters high, is a place Brockhaus Commission of cognition equipped with state-of-the-art technology where up to Kreidlerstraße 9 8 million units of national printed materials can be stored. It has D-70806 Kornwestheim been the most significant investment in cultural infrastructure since Germany the establishment of the Latvian state and is one of the largest cul- tel. +49-7154-1327-24 tural buildings in Northern Europe in the 21st century. The library fax +49-7154-1327-13 can serve simultaneously 1,000 visitors. A 400-seat concert hall/ [email protected] auditorium and transformable meeting rooms of various sizes are suitable venues for conferences, congresses and concerts. Taking Gazelle Book Services advantage of modern technology, the National Library of Latvia and White Cross Mills nearly 900 other libraries in Latvia are interlinked within the Network Hightown of Light – a single network of digital resources available on the inter- Lancaster LA1 4XS net throughout the country which was set up with the support from United Kingdom the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. tel. +44-1524-68765 Janis Dripe studied architecture at Riga Technical University. fax +44-1524-63232 From 1990 to 1996 he taught at the faculty of architecture of Riga [email protected] Technical University. From 1993 to 1995 he was minister of culture and from 1996 to 2006 the ambassador of Latvia in Sweden. Until National Book Network recently he was chief architect of the city of Riga. Indrikis Sturma- 15200 NBN Way nis has been a leading Latvian architectural photographer since Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214 the 1970s. He started his career as a press photographer and then USA turned to his present field of action. tel. +1-800-4626420 fax +1-800-3384550 [email protected] 1. Jacket 8_1. Jacket 09.02.15 12:52 Seite 1 Gunnar Birkerts National Library of Latvia, Riga Opus 48 Steidle +Partner, KPMG-Gebäude, München The building of the National Library of Latvia is a land- Architektur in Einzeldarstellungen 49 Steidle + Partner, Wohnquartier Freischützstraße, Gunnar Birkerts mark of the city of Riga, a spatial symbol and architec- Architecture in individual presentations München tural icon, created by one of the 20th-century-renowned 50 Neufert / Karle + Buxbaum, Ernst-Neufert-Bau, modernists – the Latvian-born American architect Gun- Herausgeber / Editor: Axel Menges Darmstadt National Library of Latvia nar Birkerts. His metaphorically saturated and expres- 51 Bolles + Wilson, NORD/LB, Magdeburg sionist architecture has established its permanent place 52 Brunnert und Partner, Flughafen Leipzig / Halle Riga in the history of contemporary architecture. The unique 1 Rudolf Steiner, Goetheanum, Dornach 53 Johannes Peter Hölzinger, Haus in Bad Nauheim creative style of Birkerts stems from his deep cultural 2 Jørn Utzon, Houses in Fredensborg 54 Egon Eiermann, German Embassy, Washington roots in Latvia, his architectural studies in Germany after 3 Jørgen Bo and Vilhelm Wohlert, Louisiana 55 Peter Kulka, Bosch-Haus Heidehof, Stuttgart World War II and the first years of architectural practice Museum, Humlebæk 56 Am Bavariapark, München in the USA learning from Eero Saarinen and Minoru Ya- 4 Aurelio Galfetti, Castelgrande, Bellinzona 57 Gerber Architekten, Messe Karlsruhe masaki. 5 Fatehpur Sikri 58 Espace de l’Art Concret, Mouans-Sartoux Birkerts was invited to Latvia to design the National 6 Balthasar Neumann, Abteikirche Neresheim 59 Otto Ernst Schweizer, Milchhof, Nürnberg Library as early as in 1988. Three years later, Latvia re- 7 Henry Hobson Richardson, Glessner House, 60 Steidle +Partner, Alfred-Wegener-Institut, Bremer- stored its independence and the formation of a new Chicago haven state delayed accomplishment of Birkerts’ ambitious 8 Lluís Domènech i Montaner, Palau de la Música 61 Sonwik, Flensburg idea for 25 years. The idea, the design and technology Catalana, Barcelona 62 Egon Eiermann / Sep Ruf, Deutsche Pavillons, changed as changed the times becoming a symbol of 9 Richard Meier, Stadthaus Ulm Brüssel 1958 a new and free state. Thanks to its content and concur- 10 Santiago Calatrava, Bahnhof Stadelhofen, 63 Ernst von Ihne / Heinz Tesar, Bode-Museum, rent processes for reestablishment of the national state Zürich Berlin the building acquired a symbolic and meaningful name: 12 Karl Friedrich Schinkel, Charlottenhof, Potsdam- 64 Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, International Terminal, the »Castle of Light«. In 1999, the idea for construction Sanssouci San Francisco International Airport of the library received the official UNESCO patronage 13 Pfaueninsel, Berlin 65 Le Corbusier, Unité d’habitation, Marseille and support, the design and construction of the building 14 Sir John Soane’s Museum, London 66 Coop Himmelb(l)au, BMW-Welt, München have been evaluated by a panel of prominent UNESCO 15 Enric Miralles, C. N. A . R. , Alicante 67 Bruno Paul, Haus Friedwart, Wetzlar experts. 16 Fundación César Manrique, Lanzarote 68 Robert-Bosch-Krankenhaus, Stuttgart The pyramidal structure, which rises 68 m high, is a 17 Dharna Vihara, Ranakpur 69 Rathaus Bremen place of cognition equipped with state-of-the-art tech- 18 Benjamin Baker, Forth Bridge 70 Gunnar Birkerts, National Library of Latvia, Riga nology where up to 8 million units of national printed 19 Ernst Gisel, Rathaus Fellbach 71 Ram Karmi, Ada Karmi-Melamede, Supreme materials can be stored. It has been the most significant 20 Alfredo Arribas, Marugame Hirai Museum Court of Israel, Jerusalem investment in cultural infrastructure since the establish- 21 Sir Norman Foster and Partners, Commerz- 72 Sep Ruf, Kanzlerbungalow, Bonn ment of the Latvian state and is one of the largest cultur- bank, Frankfurt am Main 73 Otto Ernst Schweizer, Kollegiengebäude II al buildings in Northern Europe in the 21st century. The 22 Carlo Scarpa, Museo Canoviano, Possagno der Universität Freiburg library can serve simultaneously 1,000 visitors. A 400- 23 Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, Oak Park 74 Dietrich DietrichTafel, Max-Planck-Institut für seat concert hall / auditorium and transformable meeting 24 Kisho Kurokawa, Kuala Lumpur International Wissenschaftsgeschichte, Berlin rooms of various sizes are suitable venues for confer- Airport 75 Otto Ernst Schweizer, Stadion Wien ences, congresses and concerts. Taking advantage of 25 Steidle +Partner, Universität Ulm West 76 Fritz Barth, Cannstatter Straße 84, Fellbach modern technology, the National Library of Latvia and 26 Himeji Castle 77 Ferdinand Kramer / SSP SchürmannSpannel, nearly 900 other libraries in Latvia are interlinked with- 27 Kazuo Shinohara, Centennial Hall, Tokyo BiK-F, Frankfurt am Main in the Network of Light – a single network of digital re- 28 Alte Völklinger Hütte 78 Ivano Gianola, LAC Lugano Arte e Cultura, sources available on the internet throughout the country 29 Alsfeld Lugano which was set up with the support from the Bill and 30 LOG ID, BGW Dresden Melinda Gates Foundation. 31 Steidle +Partner, Wacker-Haus, München Jānis Dripe studied architecture at Riga Technical 32 Frank O. Gehry, Guggenheim Bilbao Museoa University, where he also taught from 1990 to 1996. 33 Neuschwanstein From 1993 to 1995 he was minister of culture of his 34 Architekten Schweger+Partner, Zentrum für home country, from 1996 to 2006 the ambassador of Kunst und Medientechnologie, Karlsruhe Latvia in Sweden and from 2002 to 2004 in the same 35 Frank O. Gehry, Energie-Forum-Innovation, position in the United in Kingdom. From 2006 to 2011 Bad Oeynhausen he was chief architect of the city of Riga. Indriķis Stūr- 36 Rafael Moneo, Audrey Jones Beck Building, manis has been a leading Latvian architectural photog- Museum of Fine Arts, Houston rapher since

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