Describe both the modern and classical elements of Labrouste’s Bibliothèque Nationale. Use architectural vocabulary.
Labrouste’s Bibliothèque Nationale employs classical elements of Roman arcuation, domes, oculi, and vaults, as well as the Greek Ionic capitals and columns. This particular library modernizes those elements through the use of open work cast-iron arches and elongated metal columns as well as using plaster with iron mesh to create sturdier, airier, and larger structures.