The British Library
Library, Archive and Exhibition Areas
The completion of the British Library took 23 years, such was the scale, importance and political interest in this National Heritage Project. Colin St John Wilson, the architect, endeavoured to create a building worthy of National Heritage and designed for generations to come.
The library consists of 108,000 sq m, divided into 3 zones; public access, reader areas, and staff areas. The library provides accommodation for 12 million books with space for 1000 staff and up to 1200 readers.
The British Library is magnificent, in addition to the regular library space there are special exhibition areas where closed environmentally controlled show cases display precious, delicate works. An innovative fibre optic lighting system is installed in the show cases, which allows previously unseen works to be displayed to the public.
SVM designed all the engineering services including:
- Air-conditioning, VAV and constant volume systems
- Specialist Lighting
- Building energy management control system
- Public Address System
- Domestic water services and public health engineering
- Fire and Security alarms
- Sprinkler protection system
- Lifts
- Central boiler and refrigeration plant
- State of the art Mechanical Book Handling system
