Breaking the ice
Reimagining the national library of the Netherlands (KB)：enhancing informal learning for the local community
J. Zhu (TU Delft - Architecture and the Built Environment)
P.L. Tomesen – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / AE+T)
P.L. Tomesen – Mentor (TU Delft - Teachers of Practice / AE+T)
M. Lin – Mentor (TU Delft - Heritage & Architecture)
M. Triggianese – Graduation committee member (TU Delft - Building Knowledge)
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Abstract
This thesis investigates how the National Library of the Netherlands (KB) in The Hague can strengthen its relationship with local communities by reorganising its spatial structure around informal learning spaces (ILS). Defined as learner-led and flexible environments, ILS support self-directed study, social interaction, and everyday civic encounter. The study argues that informal learning is a crucial dimension of lifelong learning and reframes the “local community” of a national library not as a fixed demographic group, but as a hybrid public formed through repeated use, inclusive access, and shared spatial experience.
The research combines comparative case studies, spatial analysis across interior, building, and urban scales, and user-based investigation including a survey and social media observation. While the methodological framework informs the study, the main emphasis lies in identifying how spatial design can better support the everyday needs and expectations of library users.
The findings reveal a clear tension between KB’s current spatial condition and users’ expectations. Participants consistently expressed the need for quieter and more comfortable study environments, sufficient individual workspaces, and better everyday facilities. At the same time, they showed strong interest in more social and accessible spaces, including cafés, informal gathering areas, and green outdoor environments. These needs suggest that the national library must operate not only as a repository of knowledge, but also as an inclusive social infrastructure that supports a wider spectrum of informal learning practices.
In response, the thesis develops a set of spatial criteria for integrating five types of ILS within the national library. This framework is translated into a design proposal summarised as “breaking the ice”: opening the library through a new public entrance and route that connects a sequence of informal learning spaces throughout the building. Organised around a central stair conceived as a learning spine, the proposal culminates in a publicly accessible digital manuscript museum, where KB’s behind-the-scenes heritage work becomes visible as a form of informal learning. Through this strategy, the project reimagines the national library as a more open, participatory, and community-oriented civic institution.