Rum för musik på biblioteket: En fallstudie av Bibliotek 10 i Helsingfors

The aim of this master's thesis is to study how the design of the music library space affects how it is used and its role as an arena for culture. This is done in form of a case study of Library 10 in Helsinki, a public library branch that specializes in music and information technology. The backdrop to the study is the changing context for cultural activity in the information society and the role of public libraries as public space and meeting place. By analyzing the distribution of space in the library, the distribution of functions and artefacts and the spatial use of the room, I interpret the ways in which this distributional logic produces a unique place for music and culture. I discuss the music library design in a space and place perspective, utilizing theoretical tools from cultural geography and the space theories of Henri Lefebvre. The result of the analysis shows a spatial logic that integrates culture with technology, combines simultaneous virtual and physical space and encourages social interaction. The distribution of functions and artefacts also represents a view of the user as both consumer and producer of culture embracing the entire creative circle, and confirms the importance of culture in the production of identity and belonging.