Archiprix International 2001
Brno University of Technology, Faculty of Architecture - Brno, Czech Republic
Michal Zoubek
Tutors: Doc. Ing. Arch. Nadezda Mensikova, CSc.
definition – municipal library in the city of Prost?jov. the collection of books will cover the needs of this district city with the area population of approx. 80000 inhabitants. the library will accommodate 150000 of books. philosophy – the basic function of the library is to collect and protect the mankind’s discoveries, to process the information and communicate it to the surrounding world. the second function of the library is to serve as a cultural and social centre where people will meet with the information contained within the library collection. the complexity of the design lies in the harmonisation of historic librarianship, bibliotheca, and future librarianship in the form of media centre. urban solution – the library building will be situated in the historic centre of the city, which had to be cleared for the purposes of the construction. the library is an integral part of the urban design that creates a brand new retail/culture centre in the area. most of the buildings in the vicinity of the new library are of a multi-storey type and the library fully respects this fact. furthermore, the new building also respect the current communication flows of both the pedestrian as well as car traffic. architectonic solution – the decision to locate the new library in an undefined area called for an isolated solution of a 'new city layer'. therefore, the basic spatial concept of the design carries the signs of an easy perimeter shape that reflects the undefined area of the area. the building consists of two prisms that create a figure with significantly longer longitudinal axe running from east to west. the west part of the building accommodating the information retrieval and processing premises is surrounded with a glass made sheathing that reminds the passers by of an open book. the building is protected against sunbeams by means of wooden cladding. the second part of the building accommodating the administration and operations premises is made out of concrete thus enabling the employees to quietly perform their every day duties and activities – maintaining books and information in particular. both parts of the library are connected by a corridor made out of glass, which represents a very fine border through which the information flow from the provider to the user. library like a book full of information – just like you open a book, the library opens to you like a journey towards knowledge and information upon your entry. it is a journey without obstacles. the building only isolates the noise of the surrounding world and influence of bad weather. not the environment. quite the opposite, the environment can easily access the reader. everything in this space has been devoted to books. halls with an abundance of books from floor to ceiling. figuratively speaking however, the youngest children can climb from illustrated books in the basement to the highest floors of scientific and expert literature. laws different from those of the noisy jungle outside rule here. this is a space of tranquillity, peace and twilight. mysterious power hidden in millions of words and filled pages…