Libraries have quietly changed over the last 20 years. They have adapted early and consciously to the changes of digitalization, they have recognized the changed need of their users for collaborative work and derived new spatial concepts from this. Transparency and access to information, knowledge and encounters are the prerequisites for holistic social development. It is the challenge of the 21^st century as the information age. This book presents the latest developments in library architecture as well as the way scientists and architects are meeting this challenge.

With essays by Achim Bonte, Catherine Lau, Max Dudler, Georg Gewers, Henning Larsen Architects, MSAO Architects, Claudia Lux, Marco Muscogiuri, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, Snøhetta, Sauerbruch Hutton, gmp Architects followed by a conversion with Oliver Jahn and Dante Bonuccelli.

KNOWLEDGE TALK´s, curated and organized by the editor Architect Ines Miersch-Süß, take place in occasion of the Book Publishing.

KNOWLEDGE TALK#1 Renaissance - KNOWLEDGE FOR ALL with Prof. Dr. Claudia Lux and Prof. Dr. Eike Schmidt on YouTube:　https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKk_wRBGt1E
The new role of the Uffizi, Florence and the opening of knowledge to a wider society are subject of the first Knowledge Talk with Prof. Dr. Claudia Lux and Prof. Dr. Eike Schmidt live from the Uffizi on International Museum Day, May 18, 2021. The Knowledge Talk connects the topics from the new publication "Libraries and Their Architecture in the 21st Century.

KNOWLEDGE TALK#2 Creativity: RÄUME FÜR BÜCHER fand am 5. Juli 2021 in der Zentralbibliothek Zürich statt: Max Dudler im Gespräch über seine Bibliotheken. Lassen Sie sich diesen informativen Austausch nicht entgehen:
https://www.zb.uzh.ch/de/events/max-dudler-im-gesprach-uber-seine-bibliotheken?date=316

KNOWLEDGE TALK #3 Change Exchange - ARCHITECTURE TO (GET IN) TOUCH was on Sunday, October 10, 2021, in DOKK1, Aarhus. Eight architects from Denmark and Germany introduce themselves. On the occasion of the German-Danish Year of Friendship 2020
https://msaofuturefoundation.com/architecture-for-this-century/knowledge-talk-3-change-exchange

KNOWLEDGE TALK #4 Engagement - ÖFFENTLICH BAUEN - DAS PERSPEKTIVEN-GESPRÄCH wird am 22. März 2022 um 18:00 Uhr im Felleshus der Nordischen Botschaften Berlin stattfinden! Alle Aktualitäten und das Programm finden Sie hier:
https://msaofuturefoundation.com/architecture-for-this-century/

KNOWLEDGE TALK #5 Accessibility - DAS STADT-GESPRÄCH - ZUR STADTARCHITEKTUR DER ZUKUNFT: fand am 8. September 2022 um 19:00 Uhr im Lingnerschloss in Dresden statt! Im 5. und letzten Knowledge Talk der Reihe verbinden wir das Thema Zugang mit dem brennenden Fragen zur Nachhaltigkeit. Der Sächsische Staastminister Wolfram Günther, die Generaldirektorin Katrin Stump der SLUB und Jette Hopp von SnØhetta diskutierten zusammen zu den Themen Nachhaltigkeit und Open Access. Das Programm finden Sie hier: https://msaofuturefoundation.com/architecture-for-this-century/

• Contents 6
• I Introduction 8
• Fig. 1-2 8
• Architecture is not enough 12
• Editorial – Libraries in the 21st Century 14
• From a Library of Objects to a Library of Interactions 22
• II Awakening the Knowledge Society – The Role of Library Architecture 27
• Fig. 1-2 27
• More Kitchen than Grocery Store 28
• Libraries of the Future: A Singapore Case Study 37
• Spaces for Books – Places for People 54
• Celebrating Knowledge and Scientific Workout 58
• Henning Larsen’s Contribution to the Knowledge Based Society 68
• Libraries Architecture and Innovation 86
• III Building for the Knowledge Society – The Creation of Library Architecture 109