Rough New Yorker style

RENOVER Prize 2015

Herning new library opened its doors in August 2014 for a super modern decor that has transformed an old supermarket to a rough New Yorker environment.

The library's location in the middle of Herning offers downtown's life a cultural boost and focuses on the development potential that lies in placing a modern library in the place, where townspeople pass every day - close to the dynamic of the city, centrally located between Herning Train and bus transportation center and its many educational institutions.

The building has four floors, the ground floor is the framework for the librarys primary services such as lending, culture, homework, scene, children's library and café. Meeting facilities and administration are located on the top two floors. The lower floor is called "The Deep", and here 90% of the library books are placed.

Designer Camilla Larsen from Lammhults Library Design has worked closely with the library staff and made ​​custom furnishing that meet the staff's desire for a library to be a welcoming meeting place and focal point for the city's residents.
The rough look is located everywhere with exposed brick walls, cortonsteel and concrete, put together with live plants, fresh colors and lots of light. The light comes from the windows in the back of the building and last but not least from the large skylight which can easily send the sun down to the basement level.

Exciting zones as Boo-country, Monkey-cave, Lighthouse and Experiential Island makes the library extremely child and youth friendly and helps to maintain the new generation of library users.

In 2021 the children's zone was renewed with browsers in beautiful pastel colours. The new soft look contrasts nicely with the existing rough new yorker environment.