Municipal Library in Kolín - 1st prize in the design competition

2024
Built-up area 23 926 m³
Useful area 7 262 m²
1st prize in the competition for the design of the MUNICIPAL LIBRARY IN KOLÍN

The design of the library together with the new square creates an attractive center of the Zálabí district. The design emphasizes the maximum visual connection between the library and the square and, in contrast to the zoning study, eliminates parking spaces in front of the main entrance to the library. By having traffic at the sidewalk level, it emphasizes the priority of pedestrians in this area and thus ensures clarity and safety of the street space. With its compact built-up area, the building highlights the main visual axes, does not take away valuable public space in the streets, and with its height of 13.4 m, it confidently complements the block of apartment buildings. When approaching from Ant. Kalyna Street, it allows a clear perception of the location of Jiráskova náměstí and St. Vitus Church, towards which the new building is preferentially oriented, thanks to a number of glass panels through the ground floor of the building and the expanded street space under the galleries. On the southern (Mlýnská Street) and northern facades, it does not use the entire building area determined by the zoning study, thus expanding the public space with public arcades. On the northern facade, space is given to ornamental planting, which is only crossed by the entrance to the underground garages for cyclists and cars. 


The light mass of the building responds rhythmically and generously to the southwest side of the square, which is characteristic of post-war modular development, while accentuating the white supporting elements used in the reliefs of historical houses on the eastern side of the square. The compositional axis east-west, or Jiráskovo náměstí - Ant. Kaliny Street, runs through the center of the building, where the entrances are located. This is where the main movement of people inside the building will take place and the view must be maintained. The entrance floor, with a structural height of 4 m, supports the representative impression of the building as a whole. From the second floor level, the building is surrounded by light, yet cozy galleries - relaxing reading areas and meeting places, where the conversation of the participants dissolves in the acoustics of the exterior. The galleries are shaded by a perforated white shell, which simply undulates around the entire building like a blank sheet of paper and lends it a contemporary minimalist look. Perforation will allow visual contact between the activities on the square, the treetops and the living spaces of the library, while at the same time giving the galleries the intimate impression of a living room covered by a wavy curtain. The entire library space, including the galleries, is illuminated, but not directly sunlit, and is dominated by natural wood colors and timeless white. The furniture is in bold colors that help with orientation in the space. The departments and their parts use easy color navigation, which is based on the colors used in the logo of the city of Kolín, i.e. blue, yellow, gray and red. 


Budova je navržena v souladu s principy cirkulárního stavitelství, tedy s důrazem na minimalizaci uhlíkové stopy materiálů a snadnou budoucí dekonstrukci. Z hlediska použitých materiálů bude dominantním prvkem dřevo, coby materiál zachycující oxid uhličitý, použité ve stropních konstrukcích nadzemní části. Ocelové prvky budou obsahovat podíl recyklované oceli, jedná se zároveň o materiál s vysokým potenciálem budoucí recyklace. Betonové prvky budou použity jen tam, kde by jiné prvky z hlediska odolnosti vůči zemní vlhkosti a riziku požáru byly vyloučeny tedy v podzemních garážích. The building is designed in accordance with the principles of circular construction, i.e. with an emphasis on minimizing the carbon footprint of materials and easy future deconstruction. In terms of the materials used, the dominant element will be wood, as a material that captures carbon dioxide, used in the ceiling structures of the above-ground part. The steel elements will contain a proportion of recycled steel, which is also a material with a high potential for future recycling. Concrete elements will be used only where other elements would be excluded in terms of resistance to ground moisture and fire risk, i.e. in underground garages. A photovoltaic power plant with an area of ​​500 m2 located on a biosolar green roof will ensure maximum renewable energy, which will be consumed in the building or stored in a battery storage. Rainwater will be captured and used for flushing toilets and watering plants.