Deichman Bjørvika Library

Norway

A state-of-the-art library worth reading about

The Deichman Library in Oslo, Norway is an epic all of its own. This stunning six-story space is situated on the Oslo Harbour and is centered around an innovative fully-automatic book sorting system which is the cherry on top of a truly unique and capturing cultural beauty.

In 2021, this project was honoured with the ‘World’s Best New Public Library Award‘ by the IFLA (International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions)… in addition to ‘Library of the Year 2020‘, ‘Betongtavlen 2020‘, the ‘DOGA Award for Design and Architecture‘, and the ‘Norwegian Lighting Prize‘ for indoor projects. It’s safe to say that walking through the Deichman Library is certainly a memorable experience for many!

This project was brought to life by award-winning architectural experts Atelier Oslo and Lundhagem, with the Helvar Lighting Control System installed and commissioned by Helvar’s long-standing Norwegian Partner, Vanpee Norge A/S.

One particular mention goes to Danish LED lighting company LED iBond – The Shelly  (an illuminated bookshelf, with built-in lighting in a cool industrial design made especially for libraries) is fitted throughout the Deichman Library, creating an intelligent shelving solution that has adjustable beam angles, enabling the light to be focused at books, objects and magazines – all of which can be controlled through the Helvar Imagine lighting control system via building management system integration.

The six-story hollowed atrium in the centre of this library naturally draws your eyes upwards to the distant honeycomb speckled ceiling, nested high above the striking concrete facets and ceilings of varying heights. The space feels like it has a pulse, with every floor featuring different amenities and buzzing social areas, interactive video installations for children and an array of bold, scattered bookshelves and busy workspaces. The most remarkable part of this modern feat is arguably the spectacular cantilever on the sixth floor, which acts as a multi-level collaborative space, complete with greenery and unbeatable views of the Oslofjord.

“The Public Library of the Year award is all about paying tribute to role models, and the winning library – Deichman Bjørvika – is a shining example. A beautiful and impressive building which serves as a beacon for future library buildings. Deichman Bjørvika more than lives up to the criteria for the award, and the international jury was particularly impressed by how the building combines environmental awareness with architectural flair. The library is a new paradise for books and reading, while incorporating advanced technological solutions. Deichman Bjørvika shows how libraries can function as institutions that bring people together in towns, cities and local communities.”Jakob Lærkes, IFLA – Denmark

The Helvar Lighting Control System is integrated with Crestron for simple end-user control, and is mostly controlled through presence detection and integration with fire alarms/burglar alarms. Lighting scenes for morning, daytime and evening are set through scheduler and internal astro timers to set different scenes dependant on sunrise/sunset. Special functionality for events have been programmed so as to deactivate presence detection and allow manual control when required, as despite being the number one place in the world to read your latest novel, the space also includes a cinema, restaurant, canteen and auditorium, and hosts hundreds of events including concerts, political debates and comic conventions.

The installed Helvar controls and components consist of:

• 125 pcs Helvar 910 routers

• 425 pcs Helvar 311 pir sensors

• 99 pcs 135 button panel

• 6919 pcs DALI luminaires

• 49 pcs DALI dimmers

• 1 pcs 942 input unit

• 1 pcs 444 input unit

• 51 pcs 492 relay unit

• 24 pcs 494 relay unit

• 3 pcs 498 relay unit

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Norway