The new building is restrained in its response to the direct environment and developed site.
A new space and public ‘lobby’ for the library centre can be created by concentrating the building masses on the west of the property. The building′s vertically patterned lattice structure on the facade also complements the existing preserved trees along Longonstraße. One ′artificial landscape′ stretches between the trees and the building, which also serves as a space for visitors to stay and read even outside the library.
The overhanging southwest corner receives visitors coming from the south and leads them into the new broad entrance at Longon Platz. While the elongated main building is vertically lower than the existing building, the northern end facing Diaz Straße remains symbolically raised. Here, opposite the current Dr. F. Tessmann library, an further entrance has been integrated into the tower building. It is also the heart of the site, housing the booking area and the entrance to the meeting forum and stairways that lead to the special facilities located on the upper floors. The maximum building height of 27′5m for a publicly used building has been exceeded at one point so that the building is easily perceptible from the old part of town and from the bridges.
In fulfilling space and functional requirements, we took into great consideration the contradiction between the autonomy of the individual institutions and the communication purposes. The connection between various libraries for non-fiction/fiction/ Tyrolese etc. is created by the open spatial structure of the spiral which also allows each individual subdivision to be distinct.
The vast and lively space is created by the slightly rising passage through the libraries and by three central atriums. These broken and twisted light structures mark the position and main information points of the individual libraries. The western static ‘back’ of the building serves as a quiet area, while the eastern side onto Piazza Longon allows for discussions and dialogues.
The quality of the interiors and the building structure lies in the connection between flowing dynamics and focussed concentration. The building structure, development and room schedule form a unit. Exterior and internal development blend, open spaces and buildings merge into an open continuum where new experiences are offered wherever one is. Functional shifts between the different libraries are no problem on the different levels of the open ′endless Spiral′. The spiral runs via the youth and children′s area upwards into the free space and becomes the playing landscape and reading garden overlooking the city.
With the café situated in the new building and the panoramic view from the restaurant, the role of the educational and cultural centre as a meeting point in the city is strengthened. The planned opening times till 9 pm mean that the café and restaurant are sure to be well frequented in the evening as well. The proposed separate entrance on Longonstraße enables the event forum and the restaurant to function independently. The glass structure floating above the trees also serve as a landmark from a distance during the night. The view from the Italian side of the city onto the old part of the town, manifest in the building, serves to symbolize the cultural aspect of the new library centre.
Innovative domestic engineering concepts can be integrated directly into the new building structure. Inside the building, economical raw materials are to be used, which at the same time also contribute to the aesthetics???? of the building itself. Bare solid construction units serve as activatable storage units. Following a closed energy concept, regulated earth temperature for pre-conditioning the internal air circulation is proposed (moisture and temperature regulation). In addition, additional passive solar energy is to be collected through the intelligent controlling of the mobile shades.