Dwalersarchief

Dwalersarchief

Dwalersarchief

Dwalersarchief

Designing an immersive visitor experience to get a feel for the immense scale of the KB National Library archive.

Designing an immersive visitor experience to get a feel for the immense scale of the KB National Library archive.

Designing an immersive visitor experience to get a feel for the immense scale of the KB National Library archive.

This project is linked to the client KB Nationale Bibliotheek. Their case is about their relocation of the main collection consisting of 120 kilometers of publications. This collection consists of publications written in the Netherlands or about it, dating back 1200 years. The relocation is necessary to create a better and more safe environment for the preservation of the publications.

Project:

Project:

Project:

BSc graduation project

BSc graduation project

Duration:

Duration:

10 weeks

10 weeks

Year:

Year:

2025

2025

Service Provided:

Service Provided:

Design proposal

Design proposal

01 Design Process

Go to final design

01 Design Process

Go to final design

01 Design Process

Go to final design

01 Design Process

Background

Background

Background

Background

The KB wants to continue to make people aware of their core task: storing and preserving publications. Guided tours of the current warehouse are the main tool to try and give visitors the sense of scale the KB is dealing with however, this is no longer possible in the new warehouse. That is why they are looking for other ways to offer visitors this experience within their publicly open building in The Hague.

The KB wants to continue to make people aware of their core task: storing and preserving publications. Guided tours of the current warehouse are the main tool to try and give visitors the sense of scale the KB is dealing with however, this is no longer possible in the new warehouse. That is why they are looking for other ways to offer visitors this experience within their publicly open building in The Hague.

The KB wants to continue to make people aware of their core task: storing and preserving publications. Guided tours of the current warehouse are the main tool to try and give visitors the sense of scale the KB is dealing with however, this is no longer possible in the new warehouse. That is why they are looking for other ways to offer visitors this experience within their publicly open building in The Hague.

The KB wants to continue to make people aware of their core task: storing and preserving publications. Guided tours of the current warehouse are the main tool to try and give visitors the sense of scale the KB is dealing with however, this is no longer possible in the new warehouse. That is why they are looking for other ways to offer visitors this experience within their publicly open building in The Hague.

3.500.000

3.500.000

3.500.000

3.500.000

Archived books

Archived books

Archived books

120 kilometers

120 kilometers

120 kilometers

120 kilometers

0f publications dating back 1200 years.

0f publications dating back 1200 years.

0f publications dating back 1200 years.

6.500.000

6.500.000

6.500.000

6.500.000

Archived magazines

Wonder zone

Wonder zone

Wonder zone

Wonder zone

Designing for engaging, social and playful experiences; hybrid experiences, as these have the potential to be powerful in conveying stories. Thinking in terms of visitor journeys that start outside the library walls, before an actual visit, and also continue outside the library after a visit.

Fantastic unknown

Fantastic unknown

Fantastic unknown

Fantastic unknown

Engagement is something to look for and to trigger, to generate a spark in the visitor, to create an emotional involvement so that the experience is implanted in memory, to involve and challenge visitors or to connect to a broader audience. Connecting all four elements: soul, mind, heart and body.

Inspiration

Inspiration

Inspiration

At the new location it will no longer be possible to wander through all the bookshelves which will result in serendipity loss. The newer publications will only be stored as an e-book variant which will also result in materiality loss and overall touch and feel of the collection.

Must

Must

Must

  • Allow active exploration.

  • Give impression of large scale.

  • Be catalyst for serendipity.

  • Allow for individual and group experiences.

  • Allow wonder, curiosity and discovery.

  • Be made of sustainable sourced materials.

  • Allow active exploration.

  • Give impression of large scale.

  • Be catalyst for serendipity.

  • Allow for individual and group experiences.

  • Allow wonder, curiosity and discovery.

  • Be made of sustainable sourced materials.

Should

Should

Should

  • Allow room to wander, wrong turns and physical friction.

  • Hint to new elements.

  • Allow space for exhibitions.

  • Create new experiences every visit.

  • Allow randomness, ‘steering without steering’.

  • No major modifications to fit temporary and new location.

  • Allow room to wander, wrong turns and physical friction.

  • Hint to new elements.

  • Allow space for exhibitions.

  • Create new experiences every visit.

  • Allow randomness, ‘steering without steering’.

  • No major modifications to fit temporary and new location.

Could

Could

Could

  • Suggest new book recommendations.

  • Allow for space to read and reflect.

  • Spark conversations between visitors.

  • Suggest new book recommendations.

  • Allow for space to read and reflect.

  • Spark conversations between visitors.

Won't

Won't

Won't

  • Be a tool to search the archive.

  • Be able to grasp the full scale of the collection (thus installation).

  • Require new tasks of staff.

  • Be a tool to search the archive.

  • Be able to grasp the full scale of the collection (thus installation).

  • Require new tasks of staff.

Concepting

Concepting

Concepting

Designing a place where visitors could wander through and create a sense of large scale, I thought of a maze. A perfect place to wander, get lost within the collection and maybe find something unexpected within it. Creating wonderful unexpected little moments.

Framing: "A forest of hidden trails"

Framing: "A forest of hidden trails"

No two journeys are alike, and the beauty lies in what’s discovered when you’re not looking for anything in particular. The richness isn’t in reaching a destination, but in the moments that surface along the way.

No two journeys are alike, and the beauty lies in what’s discovered when you’re not looking for anything in particular. The richness isn’t in reaching a destination, but in the moments that surface along the way.

No two journeys are alike, and the beauty lies in what’s discovered when you’re not looking for anything in particular. The richness isn’t in reaching a destination, but in the moments that surface along the way.

Version 1

Restricted movement pattern

Version 2

Doesn't allow wandering


Version 3

Too closed off

Version 4

Not open enough

Scale model

Scale model

Scale model

Scale model

A scale model of one quarter has been made (1:25) to test the desired experience a visitor should have of immersion and feeling of large scale.


All of the pillars are slightly angled (5 degrees) towards the inner pathway. This should increase the feeling of immersion while allowing a bit more ‘breathing room’. This makes the pillars literally towering over you.

02 Final Design

Go back to process

02 Final Design

Go back to process

02 Final Design

Go back to process

02 Final Design

Wander and wonder

Wander and wonder

Wander and wonder

Wander and wonder

The final design outcome is the wanderers’ archive or in Dutch “het dwalers archief” representing the empty skeleton of bookshelves the KB leaves behind. Ready to be filled with books from the community through its use as a large communal bookshelf.

Connect

Connect

Connect

Connect

Active community engagement helps in creating a deeper connection between visitors and the KB library.  The visitors can leave a book, magazine or a part of themselves behind which makes them a part of the library as a whole. This allows them to shape their visit and experience.

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