For the new Library of Birmingham project, two briefs were written. The first was a strategic brief that served as input for an international design competition. This brief discussed the spatial outlines of the project and the clients main ambitions. The second brief was written after the competition, not by the client but by the winning architectural firm (the Dutch firm Mecanoo). This was much more detailed. It specified all the spaces and their interrelations and listed the technical requirements. Input for this second brief came from interviews and workshops with library staff and other stakeholders such as the staff of the theatre that was also to be housed in the building.Strategic objectives Functional requirements Technical requirementsThe strategic brief for theGiven the projects aim to createThe number of technical project was a very ambitiousa welcoming and accessiblerequirements in the brief was one. It stated that the projectplace, the design brief paid a lotfairly limited. The brief outlined should become nothing lessof attention to the buildingsgeneral requirements for than the best public libraryentrance and foyer. It stressedessential systems, such as the in the world. The central ideathat the entrance area should besecurity system and the rfid was that building should notspacious but not intimidatingsystem for tracking books. It also just be a place for books, but aand that the challenge was tocontained basic requirements for community hub where peopledesign a foyer which attractsthe acoustics and temperature from all over the city wouldnew visitors. In terms of userlevels in the requested spaces. gather for events, performances,experience, the brief said thatA special point of attention education and exhibitions.the foyer should offer a genuinewas the climatic conditions for The brief stated that the newwow factor, enticing peoplethe archive and heritage spaces, library should become theto explore further within, andwhere the librarys rare and place to be in Birmingham. Inthat it should act as a platformfragile historical collections line with this ambition, theto launch visitors and userswould be kept. To safeguard brief stressed that the buildingto their chosen destination orthese items, the brief stated should be welcoming and reachto explore areas of interest orthat the archive and heritage out to audiences who may havediscovery. A relation diagramspaces should comply with previously thought that libraries(see opposite page) explainedthe relevant British Standards or theatres were not for them.how the entrance area shouldInstitute standard (specifically, work in terms of logistics, withbs5454 Guide for the storage and designated areas for the storageexhibition of archival materials) of buggies and prams, lockers,which contain detailed a reception desk and otherrequirements concerning fire visitor-oriented spaces. Similarsafety, security, temperature diagrams and descriptions werelevels, humidity, light levels/made for all other areas in theuv control, air quality and dust/building.particle filtration. 149