SITUATION: Urdaneta Kalea, 9, San Sebastián. >>Open in GOOGLE MAPS
DATES: restricted competition (2018)
CLIENT: The Gipuzkoa Provincial Council
ARCHITECTS: Estudio Carbajal (José Antonio Carbajal Navarro, Nicolás Carbajal Ballell and Rodrigo Carbajal Ballell) in association with VAUMM Architects (Marta Álvarez Pastor, Iñigo García Odiaga, Jon Muniategiandikoetxea Markiegi, Javier Ubillos Pernaut and Tomás Valenciano Tamayo)
COLLABORATORS: Fernando Moreno Humanes (Architect), Julen Rozas Elizalde (Building surveyor), Arrese-Igor Ingeniería (Services engineer), INAK Ingeniería (Structural engineer), José Anelo Romero (Student), Javier Corrochano Rubio (Student), Ginés García González (Student), Lorena Tirador Díaz (Student), Juan Tuñón Espinosa (Student), Idoia Moreno (Student), Aritz Etxeberria (Student), Santos Bregaña/LAIA (Graphic design) and Play-Time Architectural Imagery (Renders).
Leaving behind the consideration as places of knowledge accumulation, nowadays new libraries are centers of cultural production. So we think that the project should not keep whitin the building itself but show the activity of the new library outside. A stony carpet, from the new stairway to the new stands in the opposite side of Urdaneta street, marks out a new place of meeting and participation.
The project aims to clarify both circulations and uses distribution in the building, to achieve spaces in continuity according to the new functional requirements, in opposition to the current excess of compartimentation. We propose an deliberately limited operation: the demolition of the three original patios and the introduction of a new lifts and service lift core and a pair of new emergency stairs, leaving unaltered the rest of facade bays with lecture rooms and book storage. The semi-basement floor, with its own access, will house the exhibition area that will be in relation with the upper floors through a big circular opening.
The proposal tries to generate a more representative space for the institution, a fluid and flexible space that will centralise the activities of the library and will ease user orientation. It is worth mentioning the intervention at the penthouse level. The versatility of Ganbara room is improved by the introduction of new cultural areas. In addition we design a new viewing deck so users will be able to watch the Cathedral (reinforcing this monumental set, Cathedral-KMK-Correos, very important for the city). Finally, the project ensures natural lighting for the central space with the creation of new skylights and the space for building facilities is increased and improved.