Sofia Library

UACEG - University of Architecture, Civil Engineering and Geodesy, Sofia, Bulgaria

Project idea

As technology evolves, libraries are changing more and more. From a storage for books, today the library is a new space - for sharing ideas, experience and knowledge. You can go into the library because the whole city is there. Everyone reads. Here you can meet people, you can exchange gossip, you can see what people are reading and what people are interested in. Because of that Sofia Library is an open space building with façade glazing - ideas can fly on in the different stories in interior and also outside in the park, where the library is located.

Project description

Sofia Library has 3 stories above the ground floor and basement. The ground floor, as the only one with free access, combines all the possibilities you can find in the library - such as places to work, reading and learning, and a coffee bar, a children's area, photocopying services, computer workplaces, a shop, conference room for 120 people and exhibition areas.
Functional zoning determines a different age group on each floor above the ground floor. At the first level (+5,40) is the adult area, the second level (+10,80) is for children. On the third level (+16.20) is the space for teenagers. Each of these levels has individual and team work places, convenient reading and recreation areas, and computer work places.
Through the open reading-rooms can be reached to the basement level of the building. It is the only one with mixed functions - half is accessible to visitors, while the rest is the administration of the building.
Access to the core of the building where the storehouse is located is very limited - this space is accessible only to staff. At the core, besides the store, there are sanitary facilities, vertical communication, multimedia, warehouse and technical premises. The rest of the building is completely open and accessible to visitors.

Technical information

The construction of the core of the building is reinforced concrete to provide the necessary climate and fire resistance for the books. The rest of the library is made by steel construction to find the desired space and a sense of freedom. The store is developed vertically, with two floors of it with a height of 2.70m, corresponding to one floor for visitors (5.40m). In order to store a larger book stock in a smaller area, an automatic bookkeeping system is used in the store with very limited access.
The main goal of the idea is for the park not to interrupt - to pass freely through the building. That is why all the rails in the reading room are vertically landscaped through the green wall system. Additionally, all free spaces are richly landscaped to create the right atmosphere for creativity and inspiration.
The roof of the building is worn by steel bars and columns along the building's outline. It is made of glass roof panels, which are worn from capitals on the beam. Drainage takes place in technical openings in the core of the building.
The façade glazing is accomplished through multi-function glass of the latest generation, combining solar control and thermal insulation, neutrality and low reflectivity. It has a silver-based magnetron coating and allows for excellent results - sun protection, optimal transparency, improved thermal insulation.

Co-authors

The project is design with special collaboration with my diploma teacher: Prof. D.Sc. Arch. Jeko Petrov Tilev

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