So the long-awaited Library of Birmingham finally opened this Tuesday. As we were entering the building I heard a mother’s voice patiently explaining to her kid: ‘You were only three, darling, when they started working on this library…’ To my Russian eye the black cubic carcass of the last year’s unadorned structure looked like a massive Mausoleum. Then the gilded blocks and interconnected circles that formed the outside frieze slowly transformed it for me into a giant wedding cake. I do think it’s brilliant, just can’t help the associations!

Here is just a photo story of my impressions from the library opening day.

Library of Birmingham
An annual wildflower meadow was planted in front of the library as part of the city centre’s wildflower trail

The metal rings are supposed to reflect the city’s industrial heritage, including the Jewellery Quarter where we live.

Interconnected metal rings forming the outside frieze of the Library of Birmingham
Interconnected metal rings forming the outside frieze
Interconnected metallic rings are repeated on the flour of the Amphitheatre of the Library of Birmingham
Interconnected metallic rings are repeated on the floor of the Amphitheatre

Birmingham has set itself the target of becoming one of the world’s top 20 most livable cities on the Mercer chart. The idea of the Library of Birmingham as a ‘living room of the city’ where people would meet and mingle and feel comfortable in a ‘people’s palace’ was designed to fuel this ambition. Sure enough, the space both inside and outside the library is welcoming.

Young people lounging outside the Library of Birmingham
Young people lounging outside the library

However, I remember hundreds of youngsters similarly enjoying the sun on the steps of Chamberlain Square outside the old Brutalist library which Prince Charles famously described as ‘looking more like a place for burning books than keeping them’. As an ironic answer to this comment there was a guy carrying a sign ‘Hey Charlie what do you think of this one then?’ during the opening ceremony.

A guy with a sign challenging Prince Charles to comment on the new library
A guy with a sign challenging Prince Charles to comment on the new library

The library opened its doors to the people of all walks of life, ages and ethnic backgrounds.

The doors of the library opened for visitors
The doors of the library opened for visitors
A family of library visitors queuing outside the library
A family of library visitors queuing outside the library as hundreds are waiting to enter.
Father and son waiting to enter the library
Father and son waiting to enter the library
People of all ethnic backgrounds attend the opening of the LIbrary of Birmingham
People of all ethnic and religious backgrounds flock to the opening of the Library of Birmingham
Quirky book hat, very British, at the opening of the library
Quirky book hat, very British

I didn’t get but apparently, as John told me, the radio presenters in the library foyer were dressed as the 70s football commentators. A stormtrooper added to the sense of the carnival.

Radio presenter at the opening of the Library of Birmingham
Radio presenter dressed as a 70s football commentator interviews a stormtrooper

The inside space felt generous enough – once the doors were open the library absorbed several thousands of visitors without any problem.  However, on the whole the interior presented a mixture of styles and spaces.

Escalators of the Library of Birmingham
An inter-gallactic spaceport?
Escalators of the Library of Birmingham
A futuristic shopping centre?
Children's area of the Library of Birmingham
A children’s playground?
Book Rotunda of the LIbrary of Birmingham
A traditional but over-sized book rotunda?
Glass gallery of the LIbrary of Birmingham
An airport?

Nonetheless, the entire space is very user-friendly. AS everyone was  waiting for the brass players performance ‘Together We Breathe’ some visitors were already checking the reference materials and teenagers comfortably occupied the lobby area.

Young brass players prepare for 'Together We Breathe' performance
Young brass players prepare for ‘Together We Breathe’ performance
Library visitors checking reference books
Visitors checking reference books
A group of teenagers in the library lobby area
A group of teenagers in the library lobby area – drinks and food allowed.

And so it opened – if you haven’t been to the Library I would recommend you a visit.

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