In Spain’s Catalan region, the new Sant Martí Sarroca library by Valor-Limos arquitectura is a one-storey volume in Parc de la Pau that helps to connect the park with the life of the municipality.
Semi-buried to the north and open to the south, a landscape roof takes advantage of the site topography, allowing for an elevated vantage point where all inhabited areas of the town can be seen crosswise, from the norther expansion of town to the Historic-monumental ensemble of the castle to the south, passing through the old quarter, and out to the centre of the valley.
A canopy provides a large overhang to the southwest corner of the building that greets pedestrians and welcomes them into the green building, which qualifies as a Near Zero Energy Building (nZEB) and is energy certified “A.”
Elements which help achieve this rating include the green roof, which caputres CO2 and suspended particules, while providing acoustic insulation, buffering of rainwater runoff, and thermal stability from the slab.
Orientation allows for a direct solar gain in the winter, and protection from direct sun in the summer thanks to a porch and wooden slats in front of openings.
Finally, a pergola on the roof of the building offers shade to the walkway and look out areas while also serving to accommodate photovoltaic panels that feed a high-performance aerothermal machine, which provides 70% of the electrical needs of the building.