Visit the municipality in the library

Fantasy, recycling, staging, and dissemination have been key factors for the interior at Guldborgsund Public Library. The purpose has been to expand the children’s department with extra space and create a “wow effect” when entering the room. This has been done by incorporating nature elements into the library as well as offering the younger users “touch and feel” experiences. The new interior entices the children and teenagers to discover the forest or look for fish in the water, as the specially designed furniture and foil recreate the essence of the local community in this exciting and adventurous library.

The interior project began in the autumn of 2017. Working together with architects from Lammhults Biblioteksdesign A/S, the library group of the children’s department began decorating and transforming the room into a narrative based on the municipality of Guldborgsund.

Pia Gunilla Park, Cultural Communicator at Guldborgsund Library, says: “We have been very much involved in the process. We were super excited about the presentation we got from Unni (architect, Lammhults Biblioteksdesign, red.) who managed to draw our visions and ideas right away. She incorporated the furniture as well as the floor to tell the story based on our hopes and dreams. The smaller children are drawn by the ocean and the fish on the floor. The 5 to 11-year-olds make extensive use of the activity room. The tweens are centered around the castle and game area. The sky is the limit,” Pia says.

The new interior has optimized the layout of the library, creating zones with several good angles and secluded areas. Previously there was one corridor passing through the entire library, which has now been disrupted by placing a medieval castle right in the middle. By creating zones, the visitors can now undisturbedly enjoy a walk in the woods or go for an adventure on the beach or in the play zone inside the castle.

Another important element was sustainability. The old shelving has been recycled and combined in new ways to fit the new interior.

“When things work and are of a certain quality, it is important for us not just to discard them. E.g., the back walls of the shelving have been painted anthracite grey instead of red to spice them up. We have only received positive feedback and people think the library is a very cool place to be in,” Pia explain.