Biblioteca Rosario

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Binlioteca Rosario- Metarquitectura

Biblioteca Rosario

Firm

Metarquitectura

Type

Educational › Library

The basic strategy behind the project was comprised of two steps:
Concentrate the different parts of the program so as to free public
space around it and generate an articulating plaza between the Library
and the CMD building of Álvaro Siza, and introducing green public space
into the Library. Inside the main body, the different
parts of the program that require certain degree of control and hour
restrictions are inserted into two big ‘organs’ located above the plaza
level –one that contains the parts of the program that correspond to the
different collections and reading/consulting spaces, and another that
contains auditorium and micro-cinema-. These have clear but controlled
accesses, and can be entered by way of a filter in the form of the
Gallery-Hall. These two ‘organs’ stand over a basement dedicated to the
non-restrictive parts of the program that are used both day and night
–such as internet café and classrooms-, and those that require a
permanent contact with the street –such as maintenance, security or
administration-. Green spaces generated inside the building, and one big garden located above the auditorium -both
connected to the collections-, become an extension of the park, thus
fulfilling two functions: introducing a portion of nature into the
library, and becoming form of ‘invasion’ of true public space into the
interior of the library, helping the visitor understand its public
character, which paradoxically is usually seen as restrictive,
untouchable and unapproachable. A skin formed by
hexagonal bricks made of recycled polyethylene (Polli-Brick), wraps the
cultural and collection blocks. Besides it’s energy efficient origin,
the skin allows natural but diffused illumination for each area, works
as acoustic and thermal insulation, and achieves a subtle transparency
degree that allows the outside visitor to distinguish some of the
activities that are taking place inside the building.