In 1997, the Catholic University of Leuven launched a competition to centralise its science and engineering libraries on the site of a disused 17th century Celestine convent in Arenberg. Rafael Moneo's winning entry did not envisage recreating the church that had stood next to the convent, but rather to insert new buildings sympathetic in form and mass to the remaining three sides of the convent. The main long low building, clad in brilliant white render, houses the entrance hall and reading rooms, while preserving the vaulted ambulatory around the cloister. A second building, clad in red render to blend with the brickwork of the original convent, houses the main book stacks. Its concrete and wood interior is illuminated by triangular skylights, allowing natural light to flow down to the lower ground level – so giving readers a sense of time and connection to the exterior. The Library opened in 2002.
| Image Details: | |
| Image File: | DBOR-0047-0026 |
| Caption: | Catholic University of Leuven Arenberg Library, Leuven, Belgium. Architect: Rafael Moneo, 2002. Detail of main reading room with book stacks, windows, white walls and brickwork. |
| Property Release: | No |
| Model Release: | N/A |
| Dimensions in PX: | 3344 x 5016 pixels |
| Date of Photograph: | 01/08/2013 |
| Restriction: | Editorial Only |
| Credit: | David Borland/VIEW |
| Building Details: | |
| View Project Number: | 61305 |
| Building Name: | Catholic University of Leuven Arenberg Library |
| Headline: | Catholic University of Leuven Arenberg Library, Leuven, Belgium. Architect: Rafael Moneo, 2002. |
| City: | Leuven |
| Country: | Belgium |
| Architect: | Rafael Moneo |
| Architect Website: | |
| Category: | Education |
| Building Type: | Library |
| Year of Completion: | 2002 |
| Collection: | VIEW Architecture |
| Public Notes: | In 1997, the Catholic University of Leuven launched a competition to centralise its science and engineering libraries on the site of a disused 17th century Celestine convent in Arenberg. Rafael Moneo's winning entry did not envisage recreating the church that had stood next to the convent, but rather to insert new buildings sympathetic in form and mass to the remaining three sides of the convent. The main long low building, clad in brilliant white render, houses the entrance hall and reading rooms, while preserving the vaulted ambulatory around the cloister. A second building, clad in red render to blend with the brickwork of the original convent, houses the main book stacks. Its concrete and wood interior is illuminated by triangular skylights, allowing natural light to flow down to the lower ground level – so giving readers a sense of time and connection to the exterior. The Library opened in 2002. |
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| Orientation: | V |
| Type: | Library |
| B/W or Colour: | Colour |
| Number of People: | Nobody |
| Technique: | Full Frame |
| People Incidental: | N/A |
| Point of View: | Elevated view |
| Time of Day: | Day |
| Interior or Exterior: | Interior |
| Photographer: | David Borland |
| Source File Name: | DBOR-0047-0026.JPG |
| Copyright Info URL: | www.viewpictures.co.uk |