Project description
The shape chosen for the new Library and Municipal Archive building of Grândola was that of a parallelepiped to which matter was subtracted in certain points to give room to several courtyards, namely one in the entrance, where the main access is located. The covering was worked into a reinterpretation of the water system, similar to what is seen in nearly all surrounding buildings. The formal concept was enriched through the use of the traditional white surfaces of Alentejo, coupled with a less usual material, cork, also highly characteristic and appropriate from a technical viewpoint. The proposal also included the rehabilitation of the República Square, articulating it with the new Municipal Library building. In this way, the square was entirely redesigned, lowering its centre in order to create a place to stay and read, sheltered from the circulation on the street.
The organization of the programme which determined the adopted solution was a consequence of three major factors: the articulation and complementarity between interior and surrounding spaces; the fulfilment of the proposed initial programme and attainment of full functionality; the implementation of the principles and general orientations defined by the Portuguese Book and Library Institute (IPLB). The programme was structured into three floors, in which the following areas stand out: entrance hall/reception, children’s section and adult’s section, bar, loading dock, a multipurpose room, exhibition room, archive repository, archive reading room, library repository, conservation and restoration room, basement parking.
The will to build a new, striking, contemporary facility that clearly breaks away from the lackluster image of the original building, resorting to materials and shapes typical to the region, was A1V2’s differentiating factor in this project.
The project involved the design of the new library of Grândola. The proposed building had a rectangular shape of approximately 40 x 32 m and a total of three storeys – underground level, ground and first floor.
One of the design constraints was the need for column-free spaces. As a result, the columns and structural walls are located in the periphery of the building and accesses, and large span slabs were introduced. The structural solution included thicker strips in the slabs, all pre-stressed, with single tendons, unbounded and with a trapezoidal layout.