Culture as an urban landmark. Municipal Library of Nigrán by Gándara Pons Arquitectos

Project description by Gándara Pons Arquitectos

Background and starting point; the place
Through a package of subsidies for municipalities with less than twenty thousand inhabitants, the request for European funds is processed through the Pontevedra Provincial Council for the construction of a new municipal library in the Nigrán Municipality. In a month, a basic and execution project had to be drawn up.

A new location is proposed for a new library on a plot close to the urban center, located on the Estrada pola Vía road, a coastal road that connects Baiona with Vigo passing through Nigrán. It is intended that the equipment serve as an attractive element for both residents and summer visitors, who make so much use of this type of facility.

With the intention of enhancing the interior space of the block, forgotten due to its situation and qualities, and to make the new library a landmark in the city, the new building is projected with the challenge of completing the built block and, in turn, value the public space of the inner square by generating connections between the street and the square through the building itself.

Construction costs have been a very important factor, it could not be otherwise. Aware of the limited budget, the initial approach does not ignore this condition, finally the building has been built for less than €1,000/m².


Municipal Library of Nigrán by Gándara Pons Arquitectos. Photograph by Héctor Santos-Díez.

The general concept of the building; the idea
When dealing with the applicable municipal regulations, we find ourselves with the difficulty of subsidiary application regulations of an aesthetic nature, in which certain materials and languages are requested in the finishes of the facades. On the other hand, the very shape of the plot, in a truncated fan, does not help in the task of integrating the interior of the block with the street.

With the intention of providing a solution to the geometry and the previously mentioned inner square of the block, the idea of generating a volume that completes the built complex on a scale similar to the surrounding buildings is proposed. While maintaining the marked alignments, it allows visual and pedestrian connection of the street with the interior of the plot where the landscaped square is located.

To do this, it is proposed to support the volume on the ground itself, taking advantage of the change in elevation between one area and another of almost one floor. A covered square is generated, as a great agora of relationship and access to the assembly hall on the ground floor and to the square, while the main access to the lobby is generated on the upper floor.

In this way, the building becomes an "access to the square" and a "covered square", turning the complex into an urban element of connection and relationship between the street and the square and providing a solution to aspects of an urban nature in a first approach.

The façade is fragmented to give rise to a building that changes during the surrounding route, with entrances on the ground and first floors (from the upper part of the street), granting different management possibilities.

Proposed program of uses and fit in the volume
The distribution of the program is carried out in such a way that the ground floors are allocated to the spaces of a more public use nature, entrusting the spaces of the upper floors to the places of greater seclusion and silence destined to the collections of the library itself and the reading rooms.

In this way, the ground floor is proposed, in communication with the street and the square, as a floor for an assembly hall, with the general store of the complex and independent access.

On the first floor is where the main access to the library is carried out, it is allowed from the beginning of the visit, to address each of the parts that make up the different spaces that make up the set; computer room, children's room, library collection room and reading room.

Going up the main staircase of the building we find ourselves on the second floor, intended for general collection use of the library's funds. The third floor is the reading area and behaves as a unit within the building.


Municipal Library of Nigrán by Gándara Pons Arquitectos. Photograph by Héctor Santos-Díez.


Municipal Library of Nigrán by Gándara Pons Arquitectos. Photograph by Héctor Santos-Díez.

A building; various uses
As previously mentioned, the possibility that certain parts of the program could be used independently of the whole without causing harm to other users and library staff was raised from the outset.

Taking into account the existing reality, there are two people for the attention of the whole, the main cause of trying to favor the appearance of a joint hall between the ground and first floors, so that regardless of where the access is made, we will always find ourselves with library staff on the first floor.

From this staff position, direct control of both accesses is allowed, keeping the facilities safe and, due to the appearance of two main accesses, we can favor the segregation in use of the assembly hall for independent activities for citizens such as workshops, talks, courses, conferences, while the rest of the library works without alterations.

Likewise, the independent use of the children's area is favored through a direct access from the exterior porch located in the main access of the first floor, allowing the use of this area for courses, workshops, storytelling...

Relationship with the environment
The intention of the building is not to be an autonomous unit independent of the surrounding fabric, but to try to create a city, build a street and complete the urban fabric. For this, the building completes the existing one, placing itself in such a way that the existing urbanization expands under it, bringing it closer to the green square of the plot, linking it with the street and bringing the citizen closer to the interior.

Externally, covered outdoor areas are created at the main entrances, such as areas for staying, waiting and the possibility of carrying out outdoor activities. The facades will play with this circumstance in order to give a clear reading of what happens inside, opening towards the most sought after views and orienting the openings in favor of adequate lighting.

The façades towards the interior of the block will be simple, clean and will not distort the built complex, made of stone and white plaster where the holes indicate, on a scale of a certain magnitude, the most singular points of the relationship between the interior and the the exterior of the building; the relationship between indoor activity and outdoor views and sunlight.


Municipal Library of Nigrán by Gándara Pons Arquitectos. Photograph by Héctor Santos-Díez.

Facilities, energy efficiency and sustainability
Aware of the great demand for economic and energy resources of this type of facility, the building has been equipped with the most sustainable and functional facilities within the existing possibilities, paying special attention to the intention of covering the needs of minimum use with the least energy input. possible to achieve the most favorable conditions possible.

To this end, a lighting system has been designed with automatic regulation by means of light sensors that allow considerable savings in electrical energy and at the same time guarantee interior lighting in optimal conditions.

The building has a large air conditioning unit located on the third floor, without protruding from the volume, which allows the regulation by areas and zones of the air-conditioned spaces in use, considerably reducing energy consumption.

A fire extinguishing installation has been carried out through the location of an independent cistern for the accumulation of water located at the confluence of the building with some existing stairs in the square, so that the urbanization of the complex is completed, the accesses and it is allowed to accommodate water tanks.

The library will have data facilities, Wi-Fi, internet and other communication systems for the use of its users.

The energy certification of the set will be of the highest classification, obtaining a rating for the set of letter A.


Municipal Library of Nigrán by Gándara Pons Arquitectos. Photograph by Héctor Santos-Díez.

Constructive criteria
When faced with the choice of construction systems to use, the determination has been made to use low-maintenance systems and materials, high technical performance, great durability and resistance to wear, due to the fact that economic resources are limited.

For this, facades of great thermal inertia have been made made of stone sheet with an air chamber, thick rock wool thermal insulation and an interior sheet made of brickwork.

The exterior openings are made using aluminum metal carpentry in a natural gray color with a thermal break, with self-cleaning low-emissivity glass and, in the openings where the sun could cause discomfort, some tropical wood slats are located with treatment to exterior environments, which allow light control of the incidence of the sun inside while generating a series of more than suggestive environments in the interior rooms.

The floor slabs are made using a reticulated concrete structure and solid concrete slabs, the vertical structure being concrete pillars, seen in many cases inside and outside.

The general roof is made on a flat roof protected by black and white rounded edges and an area of tropical wood flooring with outdoor treatment.

The urbanization is completed by stone flooring and stairs combined with exposed concrete and stone, with railings and defenses made of stainless steel.