Located between some of his most memorable architectural achievements, the new – Mies Momorial
Library -, is a building dedicated to honor one of the greatest architects of modern architecture. The
– Mies Memorial Library – adapts with its cubature to the surrounding building. With a simple
geometrical shape and the louvered facade, it reminiscence the basics of Mies architecture without
copying it. The new building of the IIT campus, doesn’t overgrow the building stock of Mies, but
smoothly integrates between the historical trees. With its straight and transparent facade, it
perfectly fits to the surrounding building.
The entrance of the Memorial Hall faces towards the Crown Hall and creates a roofed space, which
not only invites the students from the IIT campus to enter the building, but also to spend their break.
Passing through the slightly narrowed reception hall, users enter the two-storage-high main hall of
the library, which gives a lot of flexibility to study and research appropriately. In the center one
faces four double-high main curved walls, creating two cone shaped rooms. The bigger one holds
the complete Mies collection, and the smaller cone contains the Auditorium. The special shape of
the cones creates suspenseful space of width and narrowness which allows versatile usages and
qualities of stay.
