Biblioteca Vasconcelos

Description

Biblioteca Vasconcelos, also known as the Megabiblioteca by the press, is a library in the Buenavista neighborhood of Mexico City. It is dedicated to José Vasconcelos, the philosopher and former president of the National Library of Mexico. The library is spread across 38,000 square metres (409,000 sq ft), and had an initial planned cost of 954 million pesos (roughly US$98 million). The Congress of Mexico proposed plans to reduce the budget of 2006 that included cuts for all three branches of government, but the National Action Party (PAN) presented an alternate budget that preserved funds for Enciclomedia and the Vasconcelos Library.

The library is located in the Cuauhtémoc borough, adjacent to the Buenavista railway station, where the Metro, suburban train, and Metrobús meet. It is adorned by several sculptures by Mexican artists, including Gabriel Orozco's Ballena (Whale), prominently located at the centre of the building.