Foster and Partners designed this new £100 million addition to the British Museum in London UK. The British Library, which was the main focus of the building’s original design in 1823, moved out of the building, allowing for this central gathering space.
Vladimir Lenin, Oscar Wilde, and Karl Marx are some of the greats who attended the original library courtyard with its copper dome. Since this reading room was kept out of public site since 1857, Foster opened it up as a grand public space. The glass canopy floats above the Victorian “symphony in European limestones.”
Air filters through a control system before rising from the floor. Daylight floods the space, with shading delineating special spaces inside, including the restaurant.
(Unhindered by Talent– flickr/creative commons license)
(Karen Roe– flickr/creative commons license)
(Karen Roe– flickr/creative commons license)
(Nic’s events– flickr/creative commons license)
(Nic’s events– flickr/creative commons license)
(amandabhslater– flickr/creative commons license)
(amandabhslater– flickr/creative commons license)
