Moonza JournalDezeen — Interiors2 min read
MVRDV Designs Essen Central Library as a Public “Living Room”
Dutch studio MVRDV, in collaboration with German studio Meyer Architekten, has created the Essen city library in a former department store. Red bookshelves fill its multipurpose interiors, and the library is designed as a public “living room”.
The Moonza view
This project shows that shelving can itself be the main design element, not just storage. A strong colour for the bookshelves unifies a large multipurpose space and gives it an identity.
The same idea suits an office library, archive or executive room: rather than hiding shelves, make them part of the room’s face. The phrase “living room” is also a reminder that comfortable seating beside the shelves turns a library from storage into a lively space.
- Treat shelving and bookcases as a main decorative element
- Add a small, comfortable seating area beside the shelves
- In a large space, a repeated colour helps create unity
