Library in Bełżyce

Where “less is more” meets “less is bore”

 

 

Library in Bełżyce

The design of the building of the Municipal and Communal Public Library in Bełżyce is intended as a reference to the world’s best practices of library architecture. It draws patterns from contemporary trends in librarianship while at the same time being tangible evidence of a pan-European phenomenon concerning public libraries, namely the raising of the rank of libraries. This phenomenon is the result of changing tastes and needs of modern users. Libraries in the local context are becoming the most important cultural institutions. The establishment of new public libraries also has another very strong rationale, namely, statistics consistently show that the number of readers is growing year after year. So are their expectations.

Data from the National Library
“Reading growth of 9 percentage points. 43% of Poles read at least one book in 2023.”

Since, as an artist, I am very fond of all kinds of cooperation and exchange of ideas, I decided to invite two young and talented architects from the Lublin region, Marta Zionkowska and Oskar Ciuryła, to this project. Each of us has his own studio and each has a slightly different design style. Under the banner of GK-Atelier, we decided to face the theme and problems of the modern library.

We decided that the best means of expression in terms of architectural language in this case would be parametric technology. This technology is so innovative in the Polish public space that it is actually almost unheard of outside of larger agglomerations, especially in the context of cubic architecture. It was not an easy task, especially since we knew that the budget for the investment would not be very large. We also decided that we would attempt to combine two seemingly distant, slogans preached by the great masters of architecture. “Less is more” by Mies van der Rohe and ‘less is bore’ by Robert Venturi. We decided that the starting element for us would be a cuboid, modernist block symbolizing “LIM”, to which we would add one distinctive, bolder and more dynamic element symbolizing “LIB”. From there, we turned our gaze to parametric architecture….

We outlined the initial shape very quickly. The simple, almost boxy shape of the building was varied by adding two distinctive corners that are the result of playing with the book. If we take a book in our hands and put it upright by spreading the covers at a 90-degree angle, its scattered pages will form us an arc that is a quarter of a circle. This is how we came up with the idea of rounding one of the corners of the building. The other distinctive corner was created by sliding an open book into it and cutting out the area it filled. This simple way created an arched, representative entrance area with an arcade. The whole was encircled with scattered parametric forms, freely distributed on the smooth facade, interspersed with panes of high windows. In the rhythmic forms of the so-called parametrics, one can find inspiration in the bent sheets of paper, or the countless pages of books let loose during spontaneous paging. One can also find in the whiteness of the facade a reference to the color of sheets of paper waiting for someone to write their story on them. And all of this may be true – because in designing the library building’s facades we referred to the library’s primary function – to stimulate the imagination! This project is an attempt to create a universal space devoid of literalism and explicit references. At the same time, deeply stimulating the imagination and allowing each user to decide into which world of history he or she will move when crossing the threshold of the Belzec library.

The functional layout of the library is a response to the needs of the modern user. During its design, we freely drew on the idea of the third place, which is so important and topical in today’s post-pandemic world. There is also a certain perversity in it. If we refer to the interior archetype used for centuries in libraries, we will notice that the center of the library has always been filled with the form of an open yet covered atrium/courtyard gathering around floors with shelves filled to the brim with books. At the same time, the courtyard provided adequate light in many cases. This project is a kind of negative of this archetype. Open (floor-to-roof) spaces filled with bookcases surround a central, two-story section, which has mainly a communicative and recreational function. Light also does not come in centrally, but through windows just placed in the sides of the book display. This approach allows for better zoning of the space suitable for different types of activities and ensures optimal illumination. It also eliminates any kind of acoustic collision resulting from inadequate separation of the various zones.

The library includes administrative, social, technical, sanitary, exhibition spaces, adult and children’s book display areas, conference rooms, multi-purpose rooms, a children’s room, and recreation and leisure areas. One of the most attractive spaces for users will be the library’s roof, which partially serves as a leisure and viewing area. This is undoubtedly an added value of the designed facility especially during the summer season.

The landscaping project is mainly an attempt to preserve as much as possible the green areas in their original state, as well as the previously designed parking lots (on the occasion of another project on the same plot). The idea was that we wanted to preserve 100% of the existing stand of trees, creating pedestrian routes in the tangle of trees with benches of organic forms scattered along them. We wanted the outdoor green area of the library to also provide an attractive leisure and recreational space for users especially during the summer season.

Project Details:

Name of the project: Conceptual design for the building of the Municipal and Communal Public Library in Bełżyce.
Investor: Bełżyce Municipality
Lead designer: Grzegorz Kłoda
Designers: Marta Zionkowska, Oskar Ciuryła
Area: 700 m2
Design: 2024 r.
Visualizations: Oskar Ciuryła

 

 

 

Other Projects