Metroteka is the first public library located inside a metro station in Poland. Situated within Warsaw's Metro Kondratowicza station, the project was conceived as a response to a simple observation: while contemporary libraries increasingly compete for people's time and attention, millions of urban residents spend a significant part of their lives moving through transit spaces every day.
Rather than expecting people to make a separate trip to culture, Metroteka brings culture directly into the rhythm of daily life.
The project transforms a place traditionally associated with movement, routine, and haste into a space that encourages discovery, learning, and brief moments of pause. Positioned along one of Warsaw's everyday commuting routes, the library allows visitors to borrow a book, attend an event, explore a hydroponic garden, or simply spend a few minutes surrounded by knowledge and greenery before continuing their journey.
The interior is organized as a fluid open landscape shaped by a system of parametric bookshelves. Instead of functioning solely as furniture, the shelving system acts as an architectural device that guides movement, defines functional zones, and creates the identity of the space. Each shelf has a unique geometry, meaning there are no two identical elements throughout the library.
At the entrance, monumental sculptural forms inspired by the structure of trees establish a sense of verticality rarely experienced within underground infrastructure. Rather than imitating nature literally, these elements create spatial drama and evoke the atmosphere of a contemporary urban cathedral dedicated to knowledge, curiosity, and exploration.
One of the most distinctive features of Metroteka is its hydroponic installation. Located entirely below ground and without access to natural daylight, the system demonstrates alternative methods of cultivating plants without soil. Beyond its visual impact, the installation serves as an educational platform promoting sustainability, ecology, and future-oriented approaches to food production. Since opening, it has become one of the library's most recognizable attractions, engaging more than one thousand participants through workshops, presentations, and educational activities.
The library includes dedicated zones for children and adults, a flexible event space, self-service borrowing technology, reading areas, and places designed for both longer visits and short stops between journeys. Together, these functions support a vision of the contemporary library as a social platform rather than simply a repository of books.
Since opening, Metroteka has attracted significant international attention, appearing in publications across Europe, Asia, and North America. The project demonstrates how existing urban infrastructure can be reimagined to serve cultural and social purposes, while challenging traditional assumptions about where libraries belong within the contemporary city.
Metroteka suggests a different future for public libraries. Instead of waiting for people to come to culture, culture can become a natural part of everyday life.
