University of Indonesia Central Library
Jakarta, Indonesia
University of Indonesia
Competition 2009 | Project 2009 – 2011
Winner of a National Design Competition, the 28,900m² library is designed as a series of abstracted stone tablets – ‘prasasti’ – rising from a circular grass-covered earth mound.
Maintaining a stable ambient temperature, the lower levels housed in the mound provide storage for manuscripts, books and research / reference materials. Above, book stacks are arranged on the outer perimeter of the circular base. Closer to the centre are the reading rooms, where the composition opens up to dramatic views of the lake.
Narrow bands of glass openings are carved into the granite towers. These are of varying heights rising from the mound.
Housing up to five million items and visited by up to 20,000 people a day, the library is one of the largest in Asia.
