The Royal Library, Copenhagen, Denmark
Designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
The Black Diamond
The extension to the Royal Library is one of the most significant architectural landmarks on the Copenhagen waterfront. Nicknamed The Black Diamond for its black granite cladding, the library extension was the first in a series of large-scale cultural buildings along Copenhagen’s waterfront. Open and democratic, the building includes a café, bookshop, exhibition room, restaurant, scientific and literary institutions, reading rooms, a roof terrace, and a 600-seat hall for concerts, theatrical performances and conferences.
The Royal Library is one of Copenhagen’s architectural gems.
The solid black cube is divided in two by a vast glazed atrium that houses the majority of its public functions.
The central space affords panoramic views of the harbor, and serves as a significant source of daylight, which is dispersed throughout the building.
The Royal Library is a key driver in the development of the Copenhagen harbor front.
