Black Diamond facing the harbor
Introduction
The Black Diamond, an extension of Royal Library, is a multi-use, 450-room black granite library located on the waterfront in Slotsholmen. It is home to the notes of Soren Kierkegaard and other Danish treasures, the Danish National Museum of Photography, as well as a cartoon-focused museum, exhibitions, a bookshop, a restaurant, cafe and roof terrace, and host to a number of literary and musical events. The architecturally stunning exterior is complemented with a massive, wavy-walled Atrium and glass-walled reading rooms.
Hours
Monday - Saturday: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (cafe); 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Exhibitions); 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. (Information)
Reduced hours in July and August
Reading Rooms
Each reading room faces the central atrium and allows researchers to study on-site-only reference works. They are marked "users-only" and are generally silent.
Architecture
Perhaps the most stunning aspect of the Black Diamond is its imposing stature and black granite construction. Designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects, the building includes 2,500 m2 of "Absolute Black" granite. The glass facade of the structure is buttressed by a massive steel joist in the atrium, and a system of traction cables with a load of 10 tons.
Atrium Walls and Reading Room
The design of the distinctive, wavy walls of the atrium include more than 10,000 coordinates to construct the concrete molds.
Experiences
Listen to electro-acoustical music in the Atrium every day at 1 p.m.
Guided tours (in Danish) on Saturdays at 3 p.m.
Gaze at the harbor and the nearby Christianshavns Kanal.
Art
- Unnamed Fresco above the walkway on Floor C
Unnamed Fresco by Per Kirkeby
Mermaid Replica, placed by the sea in 2009.
The City Fractal, an interwoven steel sculpture.
Sources
The Black Diamond brochure, available at the Information Center.
Library Website (English): http://www.kb.dk/en/dia/
