Library Buildings around the World

orthogonal paths to the new Piazza Madonna della Neve - born from the remnants of another prison yard. The design of the library
takes up this topic and the two opposite entrances to the library as the head of this connection: in this way, the ground floor of the
library assumes the value of an urban gallery crossing. The entrance to the library to the Old Lady of the Snows, in this space where
residences overlook the recovery and other business and social help, view the daily presence of students, the completion of the square
and make a living and dynamic place. The square already has a configuration result of a project of the municipal offices. The new
project aims to achieve only a sort of profane at the old entrance to this wing of the prison as a 'ear, a mouth separate from the
structure for continuing on and readable seniority (http://www.europaconcorsi.com)
King Roselli Architetti, Roma – Italy
http://www.kingroselli.com
Libraries:
Pontificia Università Lateranense, Biblioteca Beato Pio IX, Roma – Italy 2006
Client: Pontificial Lateran University Chancellor: S.E. Mons. Rino Fisichella, Project: Library Extension- new reading rooms and
direct consultation book stacks + Refurbishment of University Auditorium Project, Start: 2003, On site: January 2004, Completion:
October 2006, Costs: Building: Euro 7m, Interiors: Euro 1m, Areas: Auditorium: 660 m2, Library Extension: 2000 m2
The New Reading Rooms and Auditorium Restoration of the Pontificial Lateran University
On commissioning the project for the new library extension to the Pontificial Lateran University the chancellor Mons. Rino
Fisichella was quite clear in in his main objective: to bring the activity of reading and the consultation of books as the central
occupation of the university.
The new reading rooms and book stacks for free consultation are enclosed in in the new extension placed closer to the heart of the
university with access from the main spine of the first floor corridor. The reading rooms are now concentrated in a single volume
with access to 70,000 volumes and 750 publications housed in the six floors of book stacks in a fire-protected tower. Externally, the
new building is placed next to a central block of lecture rooms of the “E” shaped plan. Although it is carefully aligned with the
existing volume and clad in the same brick, the new block nevertheless assertively declares its modernity in the play of suspended
volumes in light and shade.
The library's presence can be perceived from the university; through a series of viewing cones created by joining the window reveals
(that once gave on to the exterior) to apertures closed with fire glass in the book stacks. It is entered from the first floor corridor of
the main building down a flight of basalt stairs under the first level of the book stacks into a spacious foyer. This is where the locker
room, computer indexes-laid on an articulated table, card index, professors reading room and librarians posting are set.
The library is arranged so that for every two floors of book stacks one sloping ramp, "U" shaped in plan, connects them. The book
stacks are as low as possible to avoid the use of ladders to reach the highest shelves and, given the thin floor slab, are made look like
a set of bookshelves themselves. They are connected vertically by a staircase set between the containing wall and an interior façade of
bookshelves facing the reading ramps dedicated to publications, to form in effect a book tower. The slope of the ramps is determined
by joining the regularly spaced floors of the book stacks to the irregular cuts in the façade which creates the reality (not simply the
effect) of volumes floating in light.
These ramps are the reading rooms- they are levelled with mahogany platforms that accommodate the reading tables at the level
changes. These are also made of mahogany block-wood and house the up-lights for ambient lighting.
Auditorium
The main assembly hall was restored to conform to modern safety and comfort standards as well as to incorporate the normal
technical specification of a modern conference hall- projection facilities, sound diffusion and acoustic control.
The stepped floor was redesigned to provide safety aisles. A new false ceiling and the panelling to the side walls incorporating the
black-out system for the existing windows and new seating complete the new design. The curved ceiling expresses an almost elastic
quality especially in the treatment of the proscenium architrave defined as a frame pushing the surface into a double curvature.
Either side of the stage the entrance doors are completely flush with the plane curving down from the ceiling. The side walls have
been clad firstly with a layer of sound absorption panels and then a series of vertical wooden planks set at varying angles to produce
a kinetic wave effect. In correspondence with the windows the planks rotate about the vertical axis to regulate the natural light.
Considerable care was taken in the design of the seats. The idea was to achieve a rounded form derived from a moulded upholstery
filling. In this case the module is made up a single arm/backrest with the join between modules in the middle of the backrest. When it
came to final production Poltrona Frau decided to adopt a more traditional technique, especially for the upholstery filling- and
presented a superbly crafted leather armchair, multiplied by 560. (King)
Lombardini22 - Architectural Design Company, Milano – Italy
http://www.lombardiniventidue.com
Libraries:
Biblioteca di Legnano – Italy on design
3.000 m²
Today May 22, 2008, at the hall of the Municipal Council, the jury announced the results of the design competition aimed at
producing the new Public Library of the City of Legnano. The winning project of Lombardini22 is characterized by a strong
integration of the library with the Park and is able to bind the two parts of the city, Legnano and the so-called Oltresempione, with a
rich system of pedestrian and road network that add quality to the system of social relations between the historic center and the
expancion of the city. The Library acts as an open book on the city, building a porous, cross. Thanks to the plan at court typical
Lombard it, opens onto the park and embraces it, creating a strong dialogue and emotional space. Library and park in Legnano
interact giving a place of interests, where the quality of life depends on the synergy between the green in this city and the
architectural quality, creating a new figure of values and beauty. Integrated into the urban fabric and using the most sophisticated
technology, the structure comes from a great awareness of environmental issues. The structure of the building, low and integrated
with the park and the surrounding land, is thought to play a regulatory and normalizing effect of the microclimate of the city.
The coverage in plant mass, as well as improve the thermal insulation of the building, while playing a draining effect creating a slow
release, reducing the risk of flooding, increasing the amount of oxygen, humidity and thus the cooling reducing the presence of
carbon, the level of suspended particulate matter and noise of the city. The creation of open space-to-ceiling allows natural
ventilation inside the building, fullheight spaces and openings in the northsouth and east-west bringing together volumes of air with
different temperatures, that will regulate the temperature through the roof openings motorized and controlled by temperature
sensors. The separate collection of waste, recycling water, energy saving heat and electricity, the use of public transport and bicycles
were the thoughts behind the design. Great satisfaction in Lombardini22 announcement the victory, with an increasing background
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