Bibliothèque des Sciences, Brutalist library building in Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium.
The Bibliothèque des Sciences is a brutalist library building with raw concrete walls, distinctive balconies, and a characteristic sloped roof that shapes its architectural presence. The structure spans multiple levels and houses exhibition spaces connected through a central circulation core.
Designed by Belgian architect André Jacqmain between 1970 and 1975, the building marked the establishment of the new university campus in Louvain-la-Neuve. Its completion was essential to the development of the university infrastructure during that period.
The building transformed into the Musée L in 2017 and now serves as a central venue for university collections and exhibitions. You can see how the spaces function as a gathering place for cultural presentations and institutional displays.
The building is located on Place des Sciences in the heart of the campus and is easily accessible through the university infrastructure. Its multi-level layout features clear circulation systems that make navigation straightforward for visitors.
The concrete surfaces display visible formwork patterns that reveal the construction techniques of the era and document the brutalist principles of the 1970s. These details give the building a distinctive texture that reflects its time of creation.
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