I really enjoyed walking around and seeing the new spaces. I especially liked the children’s library decorated with illustrations, the colour block book rotunda, and the rooftop terraces filled with fragrant flowers, which have already attracted lots of bees! There’s also a really good view of the Central Library from the new Library too…

Events start on Tuesday at the LoB as part of the four month long celebration Discovery Season, curated by Capsule. Have a flick through the programme for more information about the events. (I’ll be covering some of them on CiB.)

Here are a few of my photos from my explore below. If you’d like to see better photos then I’d recommend the Dezeen article, which includes the LoB designers’ Mecanoo’s concepts, thoughts and intentions for the building. Or you could head over for the opening on Tuesday and see it for yourself!

Thanks to the Library of Birmingham and Podnosh for letting me have a look around.

The new library, which at the rate things seem to be going won’t be built in any of our lifetimes (although 2013 has been mooted), is to be built in Centenary Square and will incorporate The REP, who have been quick to report on the appointment.

There’s more info from The Birmingham Post and Property Week.

In the meantime, here’s one Mecanoo prepared earlier – the National Kaohsiung Performing Arts Center in Taiwan:

The urge to find a picture of a building made out of Meccano was very nearly overwhelming.