The library, raised on the ground and with 3 monumental glass façades, allows the user to contemplate the ancient trees of Plaza de Armas across the street. The benches and canopies invite the passerby to sit and relax.
The three main spaces are designed to achieve a balance between light reciving and exterior views. The library becames a landmark for the city, a shelter where the culture resides and gives protection for those who seek it.
Description of project by Sebastián Irarrázaval
The Public Library is part of a public-private initiative taken to rebuild the city of Constitución after the 8.8 degrees earthquake and tsunami that devastated the town during the year 2010. It is a small settlement situated in the very core of one of the biggest clusters of wood production in Chile. This situation gives identity to the town and also creates the best conditions to find not only high quality wood materials but also extremely well gifted carpenters to carefully craft a wooden building.
With regard to the formalization of the project; it is the result of three main decisions. Firstly: In order to overlook the millenary trees of the civic square that is in front of the site; to rise the library 1,6 meters over street level. Secondly: With the purpose to filter and balance the light; to cover the 3 main areas of the programme (children, young and adult readers) with 3 reticulated wood naves and Thirdly: In consideration to communicate the public character of the edifice; to organize the façade with 3 monumental glass cases that not only invites to see new books arrivals but also -with its benches and canopies - offer shelter to the passerby.
Regarding the construction of the building; it is made almost entirely in wood and only the firewalls are done with exposed poured concrete. The structure is prefabricated and is made out of laminated pine. In order to rhythm the interior space and to make the loads and the construction process understandable, the wood beams an pillars are kept as visible as possible. Coating the wood with water white varnish enhances the required luminosity of the spaces and also creates homogeneity between the structure and the on site built furniture. The other colors that can be seen in fabrics were chosen to mimic the colours of the trees and leaves of the square. In this sense the library can be seen as a resonance box.
