Saynatsolo Town Hall Library, Saynatsolo, Finland

Designed by Alvar Aalto, the Town Hall in Saynatsolo, Finland exemplifies the Nordic desire to capitalize on the limited natural light.Particular attention is paid to both the daylighting and electric lighting of the space. The large south-facing windows take full advantage of the daylight, and light-sensitive collections are kept in the back of the library away from the sunlight.

As you can see in this photo of the children's reading area, the large vertical mullions serve to direct and control the light throughout the day. This image also shows the detailing in the placement of electric lighting, which is lower in the children's area to accommodate the height of that space's users.

The electric lights give off a warm light, which is a nice contrast to the direct sunlight. Because the lights are also designed by Aalto, they are specific to the nature of the space and and encompass all that would be necessary for finding and reading books.