This library is a towering example of how innovative design concepts lend themselves to the prudent use of space, creating in the process, a beautiful synergy of form and function.Saint-Gobain’s suite of glazing solutions ensured that the Book Mountain stood tall, literally as a mountain of books, showcasing a rich repository of over 50000 books.
Saint-Gobain Glass at Book Mountain, Netherlands - Via Saint-Gobain Glass India Flickr Photostream
The architect fraternity has reason to believe that this glass pyramid of books might possibly be the biggest ever single book case in the world. Besides the sheer beauty of the structure, the architects, MVDRV, incorporated sustainable elements to make the Book Mountain an eco-friendly edifice. The glass used in the facades was ideally suited for double glazing for modern architecture, and even the book shelves were made out of recycled plastic.
Variants of SGG COOL-LITE and SGG Stadip were the glass solutions chosen from the Saint-Gobain stable. An extremely high selective solar control glass, SGG COOL-LITE XTREME’s light transmission makes it the ideal product to create light space. It also helps in avoiding traditional shading systems and provides all-year long natural lighting through the facades all around, thus leading to energy savings and improved thermal insulation. SGG COOL-LITE XTREME’s low reflection and neutral aspect makes it perfect for glazing for modern architecture.
Via Saint-Gobain Glass India Flickr Photostream
SGG Stadip is a laminated glass that is best suited for safety and security of occupants in a building. Hence it was the first choice when it came to using a safety glass for Book Mountain, given the fact that the library is home to a huge population of visitors. If broken, SGG Stadip remains bonded to an interlayer and will not result in injuries. It offers security solutions to meet the combined criteria of protection, aesthetics and performance. It also comes with the benefit of acoustic insulation, a mandate for Libraries.
In a technology-driven era, the Book Mountain, brings back the simple pleasures of ‘reading’ a book in the literal sense of the word. This unique library, in many ways, is not just an archive of books, but also of sustainable solutions and responsible glazing for modern architecture.