TVK and Carmody Groarke to design new Bibliothèque nationale de France conservation center

The international architecture competition to design a new conservation center and press conservatory for the National Library of France has picked TVK and Carmody Groarke as the winning team. 

The proposal beat out submissions from a four-strong shortlist, which included OMA in partnership with DATA architects, Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners (RSHP) in collaboration with Atelier WOA, and AAPP/Atelier d’architecture Philippe Prost.

The initiative, which aims to provide more space to house the expanding French national library collection and set new conservation standards, will see the transformation of a former hospital site in the city of Amiens in Northern France. 

From the architects: "The winning project comprises two buildings within a 11,000m2 (118,400-square-foot) master plan: a 180m-long (590 feet) passive archive building for state-of-the-art collection storage and a bespoke timber framed office building for people and conservation processes. 

"Located on the former Amiens hospital north site, the initiative forms part of an urban plan to establish a new cultural centre to the north and create a civic landmark in Amiens."

"The archive building will store and protect the renowned French national library collection, one of the oldest in the world. The building will contain a vast single room with fully automated storage and retrieval systems operated by state-of-the-art robotic technology. It will provide over 280 linear kilometers of storage space within a low-oxygen environment to protect the collection from fire and water damage. The building will be highly airtight to create passive temperate control, significantly reducing energy consumption in operation.

"Externally, the building features an expressive steel exoskeleton encased in stainless steel mesh. The super-airtight and lightweight structure provides all-weather protection for the collection inside and gives the building a distinctive identity and presence.

"Innovative engagement strategies will increase public interaction with the collection by incorporating a viewing gallery into the west end of the building. The gallery will offer visitors and users a unique opportunity to look into the archive, revealing the robotic automation systems within."

"The workplace building is strategically placed in front of the archive with elevated views back to the city center landmarks. The building will allow for modern digitization of the historic collection and day-to-day collection care and management. The building will be structured with low-carbon timber and will feature a large courtyard in the center to provide natural light, open green space, and better connectivity between floors."

Construction start is anticipated in spring 2026, with a projected completion by 2029.