The Halmstad library extends across the wide expanse of the Nissan River like a bridge linking the historic part of town with the new urban development area, formerly divided by the river for hundreds of years. A square in front of the library creates a new urban space which can host a range of civic activities. Inside, the library is essentially a single open space, flexible and highly legible: an open structure which allows an active interplay between the columns and the trunks of the trees outside. The atrium is the focal point that creates instant overview and connects the library’s three floors vertically.