Danish firm Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG) was awarded first prize in an open international design competition for the new National Library in Astana, Kazakhstan — entrants included Zaha Hadid and Foster + Partners.

Merging the forms of a circle, an arch, a rotunda and a yurt, BIG designed a 33,000 square metres building in the shape of an infinite loop.

Credits:

Architect: BIG
Client: Kazakhstan Presidential Office
Collaborators: ARUP AGU
Location: Astana, Kazakhstan

BIG Partner-in-Charge: Bjarke Ingels
Project Leader: Thomas Christoffersen
Team: Amy Campbell, Jakob Henke, Johan Cool, Jonas Barre, Daniel Sundlin

[via archicentral]