Clément Blanchet Architecture is pleased to share its proposal for the new National Library in Liechtenstein , Vaduz

The location is the middle of the public center of Liechtenstein, the heart of the country.

Today, the area is characterised by the imprint of the institutions. With the modern art museum in one corner and the government building on the opposite side, a strip of public institutions such as banks and national banks and national museums define a space for public life.

The former post office is now an empty space in this area. The original rational 60s building has been robbed of its original purpose and excludes the public from participating.

Our project aims to contribute to this process by making the public service of the National Library to the public at large and providing an inviting retreat in the city center.

By removing one of the existing structures, we open the space between these two streets, creating a visuel and symbolic connection.

The settlement of the space in between creates new connections in the city the project becomes the intersection of different architectural, urban planning, monument preservation and landscape situations.

Though the intersection of the two main streets, the library becomes a public space where the citizens of Vaduz and everyone else can gather.

With its sloping roof over the square, the library creates a space of hospitality. An authentic civic space that becomes the house of knowledge and of the country. The profile of the library, which is reminiscent of the local architecture and landscape, resolves the urban situation by giving the city a face that is translucent and at the same time robust enough to congregate.

The everyday life of the people of Vaduz is brought back into the public sphere and is given a place for exchange and reflection. An intervention, which offers the city a point of orientation to redefine public space and the redefining the public space and the image of Liechtenstein.