Libraries through the lens Bibliothèque Universitaire UHA La Fonderie, Mulhouse, France
OUR latest Libraries through the lens column, Thomas Guignard takes us to Bibliothèque Universi- taire Université de Haute Alsace, in Mulhouse, France.
The library building leans on its indus- trial heritage – both in appearance and it’s name, La Fonderie. Thomas says: “The triangular roof of this reading room high up in the library of the Université de Haute Alsace (UHA) in Mulhouse hints to the building’s industrial past. One of a series of ten, this structure used to provide light and ventilation for one of France’s most important foundries.
“Industrial fabrication on the site began in 1826 with the establishment of a manufac-
September 2024
ture of mechanical looms under license by their British inventor Richard Roberts, who supervised early operations and brought his own workers with him. His French partner André Koechlin soon purchased the rights to the Roberts loom and expanded the operation to other textile equipment, steam engines and turbines. In 1872, Koechlin’s operation merged with a locomotive man- ufacturer to become the Société Alsacienne de Construction Mécanique (SACM).” Now repurposed, the “building that is now occupied by the university and its library was built for the plant’s foundry in 1922, following plans by architect Paul Marozeau of the Paris Beaux-Arts school. “The foundry’s architecture recalls that
of a basilica, with a large nave flanked by two lower aisles. Supporting the roof on a series of columns are graceful reinforced concrete arcs, which can be seen on either side of my image. Having largely survived WWII, the Marozeau foundry continued operations until 1960, after which it served as a machine shop until the SACM ceased all operations on the site in 1997. “Part of a large project to revitalize the area and mark Mulhouse’s heritage as the ‘French Manchester’, the SACM site was converted into housing, public services and UHA campus. The conversion of the foundry building was done by Mongiello & Plisson and Emergence Architecture and completed in 2007.”
INFORMATION PROFESSIONAL 7
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56
