With a mandate to protect one copy of every published book in perpetuity, the British Public Library (BPL) necessitates a very big box—an expansive archival space capable of holding a projected 456,557 m3 of books by the year 2320. This project meets these spatial and logistical challenges with the question of institutional resilience. How might the BPL ensure ongoing funding, space, and care for an endeavor that will play out over many lifetimes and unpredictable generational events? By proposing an overhaul of the current site and the construction of a sublime-scale building capable of holding the entire projected storage volume, the project opens up an entirely new role for the BPL as real estate manager.

As the initial footprint of the archive only occupies a fraction of the site, the books make way for a myriad of rental possibilities in the underground for programs whose typological needs also involve an open, dark, and stable environment: including movie theaters, sports facilities, data centers, and warehouse storage. In this way, the project transcends the provocation of the prompt by imagining an architecture that facilitates a dynamic world of public-private partnerships—providing an unexpected platform and welcome destination for a wide array of user groups.

Precedent Studies—



A redrawing of Shinkel’s 1938 unbuilt proposal for Castle Orianda, where the building performs as both a literal and figurative ground. This strategy became foundational to the development of the overall building form.

Model study of a Bernd and Hilla Becher industrial facade photograph, revealing the way past occupants make their mark over time. This study inspired architectural aesthetic which embraces the patina of layers of use and misuse.