LIBRARY IN BARCELONA

This project comes from a restricted competition organized by the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. The project's main approach was the search for maximum energy efficiency by means of diverse strategies: On the east-west sides, opaque strips are laid out to hold circulation and service areas. The strictly modulated central area has dome lighting from the north, and holds the classrooms and library. White walls contribute to the maximum use of natural light. The south façade is glass, protected by open tile work that does not allow sunlight to reach the interior of the building. The trans-ventilated tile façades help to seal out noise from nearby air traffic. The permanent water of the subsoil is used as in radiant heating and air conditioning. Support of multiple solar panels, controlled dehumidification, the use of healthy materials, etc., contribute to the aforementioned efficiency of the building on the Castelldefels campus.