Stjørdal Library, Norway

In 2025, Stjørdal Library renovated its children’s and youth department with a focus on flexible solutions, improved flow, and enhanced functionality. The project built on our experience with Svanhild’s Lounge, which was developed the previous year as a flexible café and event space.

Stjørdal Library is located in Kimen Culture House, which opened in 2015. The library is integrated into the main foyer and spans two floors. The first floor houses the children’s and youth department, seating areas, and the event space, while the second floor features the adult collection, study places, quiet reading areas, and Svanhild’s Lounge.

The background and the solution
The children’s and youth department previously featured tall, impractical shelving and several cramped, inflexible areas. A new spatial organisation was therefore needed to better support communication, longer stays, and flexible use.
Our interior architect developed a new layout that opens up the space, improves flow, and introduces clearer zoning with increased flexibility.

A new space for young people
As part of the redesign, a new lounge area for young people was created, furnished with soft seating and carpets to establish an informal atmosphere. Lower shelving units on wheels replaced the previous tall and less flexible shelves. The shelving matches that used in Svanhild’s Lounge, allowing the furniture to be reused and rearranged across zones.

Improved functionality in the children’s department
In the children’s area, new tables and chairs were introduced, and existing picture book displays were rearranged to improve functionality. Lower furniture and better flow have made the space more accessible and easier to navigate for both children and adults, strengthening communication and increasing flexibility.

The amphitheater steps
The amphitheatre steps are a central architectural feature of the library, connecting the two floors and serving as a flexible venue for events. Designed as an open seating structure with wide steps, they invite reading, informal meetings, and everyday use. Loose cushions in various colours and sizes add comfort.

The steps also support the flexibility of Svanhild’s Lounge. During events, movable shelving can be used to screen off the lounge, creating more intimate spaces and allowing multiple activities to take place simultaneously without disruption.

Svanhild’s Lounge
Svanhild’s Lounge is a quiet, secluded part of the library, developed in 2024 as a space for reading, relaxation, and informal meetings. It is named after Svanhild Salberg, a politician who worked at Stjørdal Library for over 20 years and published a poetry collection - one of her poems hangs in the lounge as a lasting tribute.

Furnished with soft seating and low shelving, the lounge offers a homely and welcoming atmosphere and demonstrates how flexible furniture and defined zones can support both everyday use and events.