In 2005 Fondazione Collegio San Carlo assigned the design of the restoration of the 16th and 18th century's parts of the library of Collegio San Carlo to the architects Giancarlo and Francesco Ragazzi of Ragazzi and Partners studio and later on, in 2007, the interior and furniture design and layout of the new library. The restoration of the library dealt with the 16th century's loggia through the elimination of the masonry plugging realized together with the addition of the second floor and of the altana.In order to insure the strength of the loggia, some steel structural elements have been inserted in the windows design in the middle of the colonnade, made of serizzo stone, of Doric order with Attic base.Furthermore, the restoration of the loggia revealed the original material and form layout of the cross-vaults that have been emphasized through a Led illumination system hidden on the top of the vaults' tie beams. On the walls of the loggia some graphic findings probably dated 16th century have been discovered. The floor of both the loggia and the library hall is made of cotto tiles, that substituted the previous concrete and grit tiles and other stone materials.In the main hall the wooden-beam ceiling has been restored together with the beautiful decorated arch that has been discovered during the pre-design layer investigations of the walls.The new school multimedia library has been design according to the outlines of the IFLA (International Federation of Libraries Associations) with computer supports and hi-tech images using materials such as glass, aluminum and steel that contrast with the 16th and 18th century's spatial, formal and material values highlighted through the conservative restoration. The library has a specific character of multi-functional place adaptable (through specific layouts) to the educational and research needs of the students of Collegio San Carlo, but it also is a place accessible to the city in order to work together with exhibitions and meetings.
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