The construction of the new public library in Pontivy, Britanny, will commence in February. The library has been designed by Opus 5 architects. The architecture aims to be simple, light and smooth, to be in harmony with its natural environment.
N°1 The Library has two open ends, pointing in two opposite directions: West towards the city and East towards the canal. The facade is facing the street and the pedestrians.
N°2 The platform view is the key point of the project: a calm and unchanging landscape, encouraging rest and concentration.
N°3 The reading rooms are two light open spaces, offering a view on the canal. The daylight goes intensely through the building but is filtrated and controlled. It animates the space with light and shadow effects. N°4 The closed rooms ‘exposition et conte’, are unusual volumes made of white concrete, round and smooth, like pebbles: they are the icon of the new library. They are refuges where the visitor's will forget the noise and will be able to enter an imaginary world.
N°5 The structure is made of multiple metal porticos with pressure points on the outside of the building: this layout enables the inside spaces to be free of any heavy or bulky construction. At the same time, the porticos give rhythm to the space with a series of full and empty volumes. They wrap the building to offer the readers a unique space protected from disturbance while bringing the library a harmonious and calm atmosphere The facade, entirely made of glass, is not a limit anymore, it is a filter.
N°6 The building uses and stores the solar radiation. The structure is completed by a sun breaker, filtering the daylight and controlling the energy. A natural ventilation renews the air and helps the building remain cool in the summertime.
