ReNew Library in Proszowice

The idea of the project was to refer to an extremely important initiative for the local community at the time, which was the revitalization of the market square in Proszowice. The library’s direct proximity to the town’s main square meant that the designers decided to transfer the town’s urban planning to its interior. Thus, the alleys between the bookcases became city streets, and the bookcases themselves were given the shape of townhouses, in which entrances-gates were located. Entering them, we can find a microcinema, a room for listening to audio books or individual seats for spending time with a book in privacy. On the first floor, a zone has been provided for in a central place, which includes a “market”. This is a particularly important place because there are direct references to the local community and architecture, such as old photographs of Proszowice, a list of local vocabulary and phrases, or an old map of Proszowice’s market. The reception desk is a highly visible, distinctive element, stylistically slightly different from the architectural shelves, while at the same time it is supposed to relate in appearance to the information desks, so that the user immediately knows where to go in search of information. The lighting of the library refers directly to the street lighting seen at night. When walking down the street we look up at the lit lanterns, we see two rows of regularly spaced lights – in the same way the designers decided to arrange the lighting points in the alleys between the bookcases. The library space also includes a conference and workshop room, a children’s room, a chillout area with recliners, or an art gallery that is extremely important especially for local artists(laboriously named by the designers: “glass floor gallery” due to the glass floor located there).

Extremely important is also the entrance area, where the idea of the library’s name “reNew” is most strongly drawn. The walls of the lobby, which connects the old building with the new one, are covered with artistic plaster with ornaments and greenery. The structure of the plaster on the wall of the old building is designed to look like it has been bitten by the teeth of time. However, following the stairs up towards the new library, we see how the said plaster becomes more and more uniform, smooth and complete. The user traversing this path, tracing with his eyes what is happening on the wall, can almost tangibly feel how the old building experiences a metaphorical renewal and becomes a brand new, modern library. This path can be traveled by the user many times, over and over again….

ReNew Library is intended to be a universal, modern and user-friendly place for all ages. The metaphorical transfer of the urban fabric to its interiors and the strong reference to local culture and community gives it an individual, local character that distinguishes it from other such facilities in the region.

Name of the project: ReNew Library in Proszowice
Investor: District and Municipal Public Library in Proszowice
Lead designer: Grzegorz Kłoda
Designer: Łukasz Ługowski
Area: 700 m²
Completion: 2023 r.
Visualizations: Łukasz Ługowski
Scope: interior design, development of the name and logotype of the designed library