The Verticality of Library Buildings - from the Sacred and a Treasury to an Icon of Marketing

Abstract

This article examines one of the basic elements of library architecture – the tower. The author analyzes the symbolic and social context of vertical forms. Both of them are changing in time and giving new meanings. On the one hand there was a small library in the tower in Périgord which had belonged to Michel de Montaigne and which was used for his seclusion. On the other hand the tower was a repository to keep the books safe. This form we know from The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco but the repositories closed to the readers were still popular in 20’th century. Now we can observe a change because new towers which were built in the late 20’th century up to this day. Those libraries should be open to everyone. Such solutions we can find in Luckenwalde and soon in Copenhagen and Doha. Contemporary library architecture is important from a marketing point of view. Thus there are several projects with high building which have to draw the reader’s attention.