The sweeping design of Helsinki's new multi-million-dollar library building in the new Citizens' Square.  

It will be the centerpiece of a new public square which is still under construction.

The designers wanted to create a multi-purpose space in the heart of the city, like a neighborhood center, where people can just hang out and spend time doing something constructive.

The main designer from the ALA Architects studio team, Antti Nousjoki says: "A lot of people in Helsinki are working freelance style or fragmented jobs, and we all have several times a week, an extra two hours to kill in the city center, so instead of just going to the shopping mall or a coffee shop, there was this idea of building a shared noncommercial space."

As well as thousands of books, there are also various spaces that visitors are free to use.

"So the Oodi library is organized in three different levels. So what we basically done with the architectural concept of the building is to take the public space catalog, that citizens wanted, and then define three different levels in the city center which all have very different contacts with the urban heart of Helsinki," says Nousjoki.

He adds: "The upper most floor where we are now, is a kind of open landscape of the library, which is kind of floating above the city, so we are little bit removed from the noise of the street, the traffic, the people passing by and peeking in and just happening to visit the building. This is more quiet space for contemplation, for reading, for thinking, for intellectual activities. Maybe more for individual activities."

There are facilities available for sewing, 3D printing, reading, meeting and even recording studios and a cinema.

Oodi librarian and information specialist, Ulla Leinikka says: "Public libraries (in Finland) have, from the very beginning, been places where people can go to develop themselves, to study, to read, to get books. And the same basic task they have even today. Also, very important is matter of life long learning and equality, so people can come to libraries to get different skills, not only reading books, but also learning to use different equipment, to use computers for example, 3D printers, UV printers, all kinds of different equipment."

The library opened to the public on Wednesday ahead of Finland's Independence day on Thursday.