Art and architecture in the library
Vibeke Mencke Nielsen (1997)
Vibeke Mencke Nielsen's A stele for knowledge and communication is located outside the library's main entrance. The art work which stands 21 meters tall is designed as a glass structure with black geometrical figures surrounded by blue lines. You can read more about the creation process of the art work in an article in Information (in Danish).
Martin Erik Andersen (2009)
Martin Erik Andersen's monumental paraphrase of the Ardabil rug - a famous classical Persian rug fom the 16th century - is located on the ground floor of the library. You can read more about the creation process of the art work at Our Art (The Danish Arts Foundation).
Alexej Leonov's bust of Aleksandr Puškin
In 2017 Det Kgl. Bibliotek received a donation presented jointly by the Russian Embassy in Denmark and The Russian Center for Science and Culture in Denmark. The donation consisted of a bust of one of Russia's best-loved authors, Aleksandr Puškin (1799-1837). The bust was unveiled on Puškin's 218th birthday , 6th July 2017, and it is located in the ground floor lounge area.
Jazz Ambassadors
A selection of pictures from the exhibition "Jazz Ambassadors" was donated by the American Embassy in Denmark in 2012. The pictures can be seen in the lounge area on the ground floor.
About the building
Art works and smart facades
On the outside the library resembles a box with shining glass and aluminum surfaces. In front of the box a tall glass stele reaches towards the sky to mark the entrance. The stele is an art work by Vibeke Mencke Nielsen, and it is more than just a work of art: it also hides the main part of the building's ventilation system. The transparency of the glass facades creates a visual contact with the surrounding South Campus grounds. The two-layered glass has integrated blinds that filters daylight into the building and reflects unwanted heat outwards.
Architects: DISSING+WEITLING, 2009.
Study room with a view
Inside the library there are three floors of bright and open plans with study seats, quiet reading- and study room facilities, and a large ground floor lounge area with information services. On the ground floor there is also a study hub for smaller groups or individual study.
(Source (Danish only): DAC).