Permeke Library, Central public library at De Coninckplein, Antwerp, Belgium.
Permeke Library is a public library in Antwerp spanning multiple floors with separate areas for books, digital collections, computer terminals, and reading spaces. The layout allows visitors to find different types of resources and working areas throughout the building.
The building was an automotive garage called Permeke Motors until 1982, when operations stopped, followed by its conversion into a library in 2005. This transformation took place several decades after the original business closed.
The poem 'Binnen' by Belgian writer Bart Moeyaert appears throughout the building as a permanent installation that visitors encounter while moving through the space. This text creates a literary dimension to the everyday experience of using the library.
The library is open daily and accessible from multiple entrances, with enough space to move through comfortably even during busy periods. Visitors can find quiet areas for focused work as well as more active spaces depending on their needs.
The building retains visible traces from its past as an automotive garage, blending industrial elements with modern library design in an unexpected way. This mixing of old and new creates a distinctive character you would not find in a typical library building.
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