Location: Dunkerque, France.

Architect: Vincent D’Houndt.

The City of Dunkerque has ordered the creation of a new media library, which will be located in the Beaux-Arts Museum. The project was undertaken by architect firm D’HOUNDT+BAJART and associates, along with the B!B, and includes a café, library, cultural shop, auditorium, and exhibit hall. The building was originally constructed during the Reconstruction era and has undergone extensive restructuring to restore its original radiance. The new media library program was designed to break traditional library codes and make access easier for visitors. The building’s original structure has been preserved, with plaster ceilings, wood shelves and bookcases, padded alcoves, and part of the auditorium still present. The indoor architecture has been designed to encourage visitors to engage in various activities, including reading, chatting with friends, studying, watching films, and socializing. The project aims to create a sensory landscape that contrasts with traditional conceptions of a library.