Library of Birmingham April Update VI

Here is an update from the 25th April 2011. BrumCityCentre.com has written a useful article on the construction which helps explain the arches visible in the photos below and my previous updates, Library of Birmingham – Report as at 13/04/11.

An image showing a cross section of what the completed library will look like and to compare with the construction photos shown below.



The front of the new Library, visible from Centenary Square, has been completed to Floor 3 which will be encompass a patio extending around the right hand side of the building. Fencing has been put up around the edge of this patio as the library continues upwards in it's construction.





The plans reproduced below from the planning application can be seen on my earlier post, More chapters of Library Planning Application.

Floor 3 showing the patio.


As i noted in previous updates, work on the ground floor level slab extending into Centenary Square, providing a roof to the lower ground floor of the library, continues with the construction of the concrete surround to the amphitheatre visible. Steel rods are woven by hand into the shuttering before concrete is poured into the formed moulds.





The red steel columns visible in the pictures below will be removed once the structure to hold up the 1st floor canopy is constructed. Cleverly the 1st, 2nd and 3rd floors are cantilever supported by the use of semi-arched cantilevers. The other sides of these semi-arches are whole arches. We saw these arches in March, Library of Birmingham March Update I.








These full arches are weighted by the floors above so that a clockwise moment is applied to support the front semi-arches. The uprights in the middle of the arches act as fulcrums. When the construction of the floors reaches the 6th floor the red steel columns will be removed giving more flexible space on the ground floor at the front of the library.



A view into the new library's ground floor with routes down and up.



Visible in the pictures below is the hole through which 1st floor where escalators will run. The plan shows the hole and the route of the escalators.









The REP Conference facility has now been completely demolished allowing the new library to join existing REP.






Meanwhile on Cambridge Street, on the other side, construction has reached floor 5 with scaffolding being set up for Floor 6.