Βιβλιοθήκες και αρχιτέκτονες

Many researchers have pointed out the constant reflection in the architecture of libraries of every change in the technology and the society. Our aim in this work is to highlight the deep knowledge and special relation of creators-architects with the equivalents ideological movements that promoted changes in the world of knowledge. Which were the ideas that circulated, when they designed the pioneering libraries of past and which influences the creators of corresponding spaces accept today? How the personality of particular architects discusses with work requirements and how they are produced original architectural elements that are diffused repeatedly in different scales and morphological expressions? A short historical review based on bibliographic research helped us to select three key buildings in the architectural development of libraries. From the architectural utopia of E. Boullee, we return in the provocative for the metal manufacture era of St. Genevieve’s library in Paris, work of architect H. Labrouste (19th century) and finally in the much-discussed building of National Library of France, work of architect D. Perrault (end of 20th century). Common denominator of all, the monumental scale of buildings, characteristic that appears to maintain itself also in most modern design approaches