The exhibition showcases Mecanoo’s major public projects, like the Library of Birmingham, UK, the municipal offices and train station in Delft, the Netherlands, the Wei-Wu-Ying Center for the Arts in Kaohsiung, Taiwan and the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building in Boston, USA.

All projects share a focus on interaction, creating a sense of community, transparency and a design that invites visitors to stick around, both inside and outside. Mecanoo’s founder and creative director, Francine Houben, believes that public buildings are the social and cultural heart of society and states: “Public buildings need public space and should be welcoming to everybody.”

The prime example of this vision is the Library of Birmingham, one of the largest libraries in Europe at the city’s main Centenary Square. Mecanoo aimed to design a building that is inviting welcoming and inspiring for people of all ages and backgrounds – a real public building that also creates an outdoor public space.

The circular amphitheatre in the square reveals a glimpse of the inner library world to the public and sets the tone as a performance space. Over 2.7 million people have visited the Library of Birmingham in its first year since the opening in September 2013. Today it is the place to be for community events, studying, working and meeting people.