Newnham College Rare Books Library, Cambridge
About The Project
The Newnham College Rare Books Library was the first vHH building to capture
the attention of the media. James Stirling featured it in a BBC television
series in 1990, describing its ‘incredible presence, which to me is the
definition of monumental.’ It houses the
College's collection of rare books, manuscripts, pictures and artefacts. It
provides about 500 metres of shelf space, allowing for expansion. Ventilation
and humidity levels are suitable for old books and are achieved by careful
design without air conditioning. For reasons of security from fire and theft
the Rare Books Library is housed in a separate building, linked to the Grade
II* listed main library.
Data
Client
Newnham College, Cambridge
Value
£0.5m
Area
Date
1983
Location
Cambridge
