OLESA’ STA. OLIVA LIBRARY EXTENSION

Architects: Coll-Leclerc
Address: Carrer Salvador Casas, 28, 08640 Olesa de Montserrat, Barcelona
Developper: Ajuntament Olesa, Diputació de Barcelona
Date: Dec 2019 – Act
Construction: 2023
Consultants: Manel Fernandez, BFA (structure), Maria Lluisa Sanchez, JSS Ing and Arq. SLP, (installations), Aleksandar Ivancic, Aiguasol (energy and sustainability), Enric Peña AT3 (budget), David Casadevall (acoustic), Anna Zahonero (AZ paisaje)
Constructor:
Area: 2.275 m2 (1.001 new + 1.274 reform)
Budget: 2.611.526 € PEC (VAT not included)

  1. WE ADDED A GARDEN AND NOT A BUILDING. Architecture must improve places and recover historical memory. Therefore we add an ecological cover where nature and water (for its maintenance) will once again be protagonists and will interact with the activities of the library and the Cultural Center. We don’t want to distort but enhance this historical ecosystem.
  2. WE ARE EXPANDING ON ONE FLOOR: AN ECOLOGICAL DECK OF 1007 M2. A thick ecological cover of 1007 m2 covers the entire available lot. We do not leave waste, spaces for «urbanization» but we add green space where there is now a parking lot. This green cover is an outdoor reading space controlled by Bibliolilà.
  3. THE GENERAL AREA IS IN ITSELF A LANDSCAPE. The ecological cover covers the new general area, located all on the same level, with a single central control that also has visual control with the old library (new children’s area) and with a direct visual relationship with the outside garden. A plot of round pillars and three patios generate an interior reading landscape where natural light is introduced up to the basement, ventilation and freshness in summer and comfort for reading.
  4. MAXIMUM CONNECTIVITY: A SUM OF BUILDINGS TRANSFORMS INTO A COMMUNITY. We use all the available land, therefore we obtain maximum connectivity with the ground floor and first floor of the existing building without adding stairs or elevators.
  5. MINIMAL INTERVENTION IN THE EXISTING LIBRARY. The only demolition is that of the existing deposit to facilitate visual communication between the general area and the children’s area.
  6. PRODUCTIVE RENEWABLE ENERGY BUILDING. We plan an energy community that would provide service to all municipal buildings within a radius of 500 m. (Town Hall and School of Arts and Crafts).
  7. URBAN INTEGRATION. The north facade of the building completes the passage that leads to the Municipal Park and the historic buildings, the school of art and trades and the Town Hall. As we are not adding a two-storey building, the extension does not compete with the morphology of the existing building or with the school of arts and crafts.