Varna National Library

Architecture

VARNA NATIONAL LIBRARY

Architecture

mq. 18,200

Bulgaria 2015

The building, at the crossing point of two Varna’s main arteries, in a crucial intersection node of the city, performs as multifunctional cultural platform. It adds a strong identity to the network of public and cultural points in proximity.

A young and sustainable language energizes the presence, transmitting its inviting and easy accessibility. A perforated metal mesh envelope, as a second skin, wraps all around the glazed volume, protecting from the sun and highlighting the permeability of the center. A flux of fluid energy runs without boundaries between inside and outside. The outdoor public space acquires with the new layout a new meaning, becoming extension of the library’s cultural and entertainment activities. The green extends vertically, punctuating the façade. A double high volume welcomes those who enter and a wide central stairwell, core of the library, floods the ambience with natural light. The 8 storey building offers a green roof top that could be used for events. The comfortable and functional space, open to a wide range of community’s needs, combines the lively atmosphere of hospitality with the quietness required for study and read. Outdoor green areas and the visual connection with the plants growing along the façade guarantee the harmony to work in a nature-like environment.