Snøhetta revealed its design today for the Temple University Library in Philadelphia, scheduled to open in 2018. Solitary book-hunting will yield to collaborative studying in the 225,000 square foot facility, designed in collaboration with Stantec. Placed at the intersection of two major pedestrian pathways and adjacent to a future campus quadrangle, the library is intended to anchor a new social and academic hub for Temple’s 37,800 students.

Arched wooden entrances will cut into the building’s stone-clad exterior, connecting inside to form a three-story domed atrium. An oculus carved into this central volume will create views across floors. A reading room on the top floor will open onto a terrace with stepped seating.