City library

The submitted proposal for the Municipal Library in Kolín responds to the significant empty space created by the demolition of a number of houses on the western side of Jirásek Square in the second half of the last century. Potentially valuable urban land is now filled with unorganised parking areas. The aim of the proposal is to restore the urban integrity of the square and to create a new, dignified landmark that relates to the historical context of the site while reflecting the contemporary needs of the city and its inhabitants.
The volume of the proposed library is visually and plan-wise articulated with respect to the surrounding fragmented development and is visually oriented along an east-west axis. The western side opens onto Antonín Kalina Street, while the eastern façade recedes away from Jirásek Square and establishes a dialogue with the square and the adjacent church. The vertical gradation of the building volume together with the organization of the public space helps to naturally orient the space and define a clear and legible layout.The glass façades on the west and east sides open up the interior of the library to its surroundings, providing maximum connectivity between the interior and exterior spaces and offering views inside the library. On the other hand, the full facades on the north and south sides generate quiet and intimate places for studying and reading in the interior. Structurally and visually, the building is divided into parallel aligned vertical blocks with grey roofs, which may in plan resemble the city’s logo based on the historic piles used to reinforce the soil beneath the proposed development in the marshy surroundings of Kolín city. The layout of the library is as flexible as possible.
The project presents the new city library as a cultural centre, revitalising the western part of Jirásek Square and restoring its potential to regain its unmistakable place in the lives of the city’s inhabitants.