Add To Collection
Add to Collection
The National Technical Library
The National Technical Library
Prague, Czech Republic
Project Featured on Jul 14, 2015
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
View Original
Add To Collection
Add to Collection
The National Technical Library
Prague, Czech Republic
Project Featured on Jul 14, 2015
Type
STATUS
Built
YEAR
2009
SIZE
25,000 sqft - 100,000 sqft
BUDGET
$10M - 50M
Photos
The idea of building a new technical library originated in the 1990’s. On behalf of the State Technical Library, the Czech Ministry of Education sponsored an architectural competition in 2000. Projektil’s design was awarded First Prize from among approximately 50 proposals. Then there was a pause until 2004. After the plans were finished in 2006, the developer Sekyra Group was awarded the construction contract in a PPP-like program. The building contractor was the partnership Metrostav + OHLŽS. Building construction started in 2006, was finished in January 2009 and the inauguration took place on September 9th, 2009.
There are several sources influencing the architectural concept for the building. First, there is the influence of the site context, which addresses the historical urban plan for the whole area, as well as its present configuration.. Second, we asked “What is an “institution?” and “What is the role of the library in today’s society?” That is why on the ground floor there is a minimum of the library itself, unlike all the complementary services such as the cafeteria, exhibition hall and congress hall. Third, we chose a shape and a materials that would simultaneously express modernity and monumentality. The fourth influence informed the use of the area around the building – social space to the west and a green park to the east. Fifth, the interior and graphic design aspire to act as “technological text books”, so many design and construction elements are consciously revealed to better show how the building was designed and how it functions. Finally, and most importantly, we strove to make an energy-efficient and formally expressive design.
The Library has three underground and six above ground floors. Book storage, technology infrastructure, supply and storage areas and a level of parking are located underground.
On the Ground and the Second Floors, we find the main entry and all complementary facilities – conference hall, exhibition hall, cafeteria, bookshop and cloak room. All these functions are arrayed around the entry hall, which is a main meeting point within library and also for the whole university campus. We gave the building four entrances- one at each cardinal direction. The idea was to provide the campus with not just a library, but also a needed public meeting place for students. The entry hall also functions as a public “square” during inclement weather. Additionally, there is a night study room on the ground floor, with its own entrance, so the building can provide 24-hour service. In the middle of the Ground Floor there is the entrance to the library and first information desk. Visitors then proceed to the Second Floor, the main atrium hall and the main desk. The atrium is the primary space within the building and is naturally day-lit through massive skylights.
The Third through Sixth Floors have similar configurations. The administration section is located on the north side of each floor. In the public areas, there are a variety of study places and study rooms adjacent to the exterior curtain wall. Stacks are located in internalized parts of the floor and an information desk and other study places are placed next to the atrium- maximizing day-lighting. This configuration maximizes natural light levels, helps to distribute solar gain and minimizes acoustic disturbance. Open-office planning is used for administrative areas. Each floor varies slightly, but the main orientation points remain the same. More differences are found in the last “intimate” floor where two open-air courtyards offer a place to read under the sky. There are also rentable, private study rooms available.
Several innovative technological strategies were used during construction- some to improve flexibility, others to reduce energy demand.
The concrete structural system is a 15m x 15m two-way grid with pre-stressed 30 centimeter thick slabs. The colorful floor pattern inside is based on the floor slab loading deflection diagrams. A concrete core activation system is used to heat and cool the building. Plastic piping is embedded in the slabs and filled with a temperature-variable water/glycol medium. This system perfectly suits the large, open space of the interior. The building can be pre-cooled during summer months via natural ventilation through operable windows. The main façade is divided into glazed and solid segments on the surface in a near 50/50 ratio in order to optimize solar reflectance/absorbance. Recuperation of air and sun blinds are standard solutions. Here, thanks to an external double façade, the sun blinds are sheltered from the wind. The ground floor surfacing material is an asphalt-based floor covering (bitu-terrazzo) significantly reducing noise levels in the building. For building and asset protection, fire-prevention is addressed through an automatic, water mist spraying, fire extinguishing system eliminating the need for a large-capacity storage tank. The roof is covered with extensive planting to create fifth façade, improving views from surrounding higher buildings. It also acts as water-retention, slowing down roof drainage during heavy rains.
The interior is very open and user-friendly, expressing the openness and friendliness of this fully contemporary institution. The main visual elements are the boldly colored floor and the orientation of all the lighting fixtures, which converge to the middle point of the building. Visitors can orient themselves from any point in the library. Moveable, custom furniture was designed to give visitors a sense of freedom. Students can move and configure the pieces to create their own assemblies and seating constellations, reinforcing the primary interior design principals- collaboartion and reciprocal influence.
For the interiors, art and graphic design were considered critical components and follow the technical schoolbook concept. An art curator with the PAS group (Production of Contemporary Activities) prepared a whole-building art scheme. Currently, due to budget limitations, only the central artwork has been installed. An international competition was tendered for a site-specific installation in the atrium and was won by the internationally renowned Romanian artist Dan Perjovschi.
Library users now have access to over 1,200 seats in study areas and 300 seats in relaxation areas. It is estimated that the library stores about 1.2 million volumes. There is also an exhibition hall, a conference hall with 200 seats and a 150-seat café. Other building amenities include building-wide WiFi internet access, parking for 300 cars, and stands for 200 bicycles. It is expected that the new library will draw up to 900,000 repeat visitors every year.
There are several sources influencing the architectural concept for the building. First, there is the influence of the site context, which addresses the historical urban plan for the whole area, as well as its present configuration.. Second, we asked “What is an “institution?” and “What is the role of the library in today’s society?” That is why on the ground floor there is a minimum of the library itself, unlike all the complementary services such as the cafeteria, exhibition hall and congress hall. Third, we chose a shape and a materials that would simultaneously express modernity and monumentality. The fourth influence informed the use of the area around the building – social space to the west and a green park to the east. Fifth, the interior and graphic design aspire to act as “technological text books”, so many design and construction elements are consciously revealed to better show how the building was designed and how it functions. Finally, and most importantly, we strove to make an energy-efficient and formally expressive design.
The Library has three underground and six above ground floors. Book storage, technology infrastructure, supply and storage areas and a level of parking are located underground.
On the Ground and the Second Floors, we find the main entry and all complementary facilities – conference hall, exhibition hall, cafeteria, bookshop and cloak room. All these functions are arrayed around the entry hall, which is a main meeting point within library and also for the whole university campus. We gave the building four entrances- one at each cardinal direction. The idea was to provide the campus with not just a library, but also a needed public meeting place for students. The entry hall also functions as a public “square” during inclement weather. Additionally, there is a night study room on the ground floor, with its own entrance, so the building can provide 24-hour service. In the middle of the Ground Floor there is the entrance to the library and first information desk. Visitors then proceed to the Second Floor, the main atrium hall and the main desk. The atrium is the primary space within the building and is naturally day-lit through massive skylights.
The Third through Sixth Floors have similar configurations. The administration section is located on the north side of each floor. In the public areas, there are a variety of study places and study rooms adjacent to the exterior curtain wall. Stacks are located in internalized parts of the floor and an information desk and other study places are placed next to the atrium- maximizing day-lighting. This configuration maximizes natural light levels, helps to distribute solar gain and minimizes acoustic disturbance. Open-office planning is used for administrative areas. Each floor varies slightly, but the main orientation points remain the same. More differences are found in the last “intimate” floor where two open-air courtyards offer a place to read under the sky. There are also rentable, private study rooms available.
Several innovative technological strategies were used during construction- some to improve flexibility, others to reduce energy demand.
The concrete structural system is a 15m x 15m two-way grid with pre-stressed 30 centimeter thick slabs. The colorful floor pattern inside is based on the floor slab loading deflection diagrams. A concrete core activation system is used to heat and cool the building. Plastic piping is embedded in the slabs and filled with a temperature-variable water/glycol medium. This system perfectly suits the large, open space of the interior. The building can be pre-cooled during summer months via natural ventilation through operable windows. The main façade is divided into glazed and solid segments on the surface in a near 50/50 ratio in order to optimize solar reflectance/absorbance. Recuperation of air and sun blinds are standard solutions. Here, thanks to an external double façade, the sun blinds are sheltered from the wind. The ground floor surfacing material is an asphalt-based floor covering (bitu-terrazzo) significantly reducing noise levels in the building. For building and asset protection, fire-prevention is addressed through an automatic, water mist spraying, fire extinguishing system eliminating the need for a large-capacity storage tank. The roof is covered with extensive planting to create fifth façade, improving views from surrounding higher buildings. It also acts as water-retention, slowing down roof drainage during heavy rains.
The interior is very open and user-friendly, expressing the openness and friendliness of this fully contemporary institution. The main visual elements are the boldly colored floor and the orientation of all the lighting fixtures, which converge to the middle point of the building. Visitors can orient themselves from any point in the library. Moveable, custom furniture was designed to give visitors a sense of freedom. Students can move and configure the pieces to create their own assemblies and seating constellations, reinforcing the primary interior design principals- collaboartion and reciprocal influence.
For the interiors, art and graphic design were considered critical components and follow the technical schoolbook concept. An art curator with the PAS group (Production of Contemporary Activities) prepared a whole-building art scheme. Currently, due to budget limitations, only the central artwork has been installed. An international competition was tendered for a site-specific installation in the atrium and was won by the internationally renowned Romanian artist Dan Perjovschi.
Library users now have access to over 1,200 seats in study areas and 300 seats in relaxation areas. It is estimated that the library stores about 1.2 million volumes. There is also an exhibition hall, a conference hall with 200 seats and a 150-seat café. Other building amenities include building-wide WiFi internet access, parking for 300 cars, and stands for 200 bicycles. It is expected that the new library will draw up to 900,000 repeat visitors every year.
Product Spec Sheet
Were your products used?
Join as a manufacturer to add your products.