Longitudinal sections [preliminary]

The longitudinal sections illustrates a tall entrance zone for reception and exhibitions (left side of section) and a storage space (right side level 0), functional flat levels and cafe a the public rooftop. The east and west facades are streamlined to the surrounding context and city flow and to people from the outside view into the vibrant library. The building bridge in this way the two sides of the placa, from the market to the existing library and creates a gate between the two new public outdoor spaces - the placa (former parking) and the garden created behind the building. (The drawings are in process) 

section CC

section BB

section AA

Shade differentiation [daylight simulation]

A last simulation series is done with focus on colour differentiation and the effect. The building is simulated with full panels, to keep maximum structural strength within the system. Two iterations are done with white roof and black roof (good reflector or good absorber), to detect the differences in light levels. The white roof performs naturally better (see right ill. row for each type as the interpolation goes from 0-20% to define more clearly the differences), but absorbs equally worse in collecting energy from the sun. A new simulation of cumulative radiation is done to determine precisely where energy can be collected most efficiently. The two rows of ill. to the right show the optimum combination of black (absorbing) grey (absorbing and reflecting) and white (reflecting) panels in order to keep high interior daylight factors and actively take use of the solar energy through solar thin films placement. The final simulation shows furthermore daylight factors ranging between 3 and 70 from the darkest places to the location near the envelope. Panels can thereby be removed accordingly to wanted increase in daylight in some zones or to direct views.

Library in its context

The library in context. Mercat La Boqueria to the right and the existing library and municipality building to the top left. Trees are placed to create sunny and shaded areas, allowing the northern wind to blow through the placa and to follow the design derived from the spanish landscape.

Placa design

The landscape north of Barcelona serve as design inspiration for the Placa in front of the library. The pattern continues underneath the building to the garden and becomes the foundation for the building. The red zones frame grass areas elevated from ground and the green circles marks the placement of trees. They together create an urban landscape, cooling the air slightly before entering the building in summer with the northern wind. 

Ligth and spaces

A well lit library with reflected, diffuse daylight and direct sunlight is created through spatial organisation of weaving plans, allowing different zones, different view and different expressions.

Left ill. from level 5 to level 4. View towards the square through the opening to the left, towards the underlying level and the studios to the right. Right ill. Open space for bookshelves, open study and meeting. Atrium space to the right.


Left ill. Level 5, space for bookshelves, open study and meeting. View through the open envelope to the placa and to the atrium. Right ill. Level 5, Cafe area with direct sunligth and view to garden, market and the surrounding city.


Left ill. View through the open east facade, into the weaving library. Right ill. View from west atrium towards the roof.

Structural membrane elements

The structural membrane, after remodeling, with the aim described below includes 4 elements 1) Structural space grid (black) , 2) cross plane reflector (yellow colour), 3) inner membrane (green) and 4) outer membrane. They together frame the library as an informed system towards sustainable performance, in correspondance with the plan layout.

Manufacturing considerations

As the digital environment is unrestricted from geometrical constructions, it is important to transform the generated model to a buildable model. This is done in two steps. 1) A gaussian analysis (which determine the curvature of the panels in the envelope) is done to analyse a possible complexity level in cause of realisation and by that to minimise extreme warped surfaces. What is of most interest is the centre ill. showing the panels between the membranes, as they will need to be bended or be replaced by another material (the membrane takes no effect of a highly bended surface plane). The place with blue indicates high curvature to which a geometrical or material change is nessecary.

2) The ill. below to the left show the envelope geometry in plan from generative component. This has many irregular/non-parallel lines, which have been re-modeled to straigth lines, ill. right. This minimise possible construction errors and manufacturing costs and ensure vertical structural load lines .