OSO Y MADROÑO LIBRARY
The design of the new public library in Las Tablas, Madrid, is a convergence of two key factors: the physical landscape and the collective essence of the neighborhood. Addressing the physical context, the urban structure responds to historical and geological layers, adjacent housing, a linear green space, and train tracks, creating meaningful configurations unique to the site. The proposal aims to unveil and integrate these inherent structures into the plot's redesign.
In relation to the neighborhood's collective reality, the current urban developments lack a defining essence, hindering a sense of identification or representation for the community. The objective is to establish the basic conditions for a unique social relationship by utilizing symbolic elements like the bear and the madroño (symbols of the Madrid region). The library is envisioned to transcend mere functionality, fostering a collective identity at the neighborhood level to promote social interactions, with the metaphor of the tree as a meeting place.
The library is divided into three sections:
Underground Area: Utilizing the terrain's inclination, this half-buried section houses the main access, information, administration, archives, parking, storage, and technical rooms.
The Park: The entire plot opens to the public, combining dotational functions with green and recreational spaces. It serves as a meeting place, connecting different fronts through soft routes, facilitating diverse uses and events.
The Tree: A network of steel bars forms the trunk and branches, housing the library's main program. Partially covered by metal panels, the crown adapts with an ETFE plastic membrane for lighting and thermal comfort. The spaces, divided into three floors, include combinable rooms, a main reading room, and multi-purpose rooms. The design allows independent use of reading and multipurpose areas, with an opaque body on the top floor containing the technological room and newspapers area. The exterior features a terrace above the cantilevered box.
LOCATION
In relation to the neighborhood's collective reality, the current urban developments lack a defining essence, hindering a sense of identification or representation for the community. The objective is to establish the basic conditions for a unique social relationship by utilizing symbolic elements like the bear and the madroño (symbols of the Madrid region). The library is envisioned to transcend mere functionality, fostering a collective identity at the neighborhood level to promote social interactions, with the metaphor of the tree as a meeting place.
The library is divided into three sections:
Underground Area: Utilizing the terrain's inclination, this half-buried section houses the main access, information, administration, archives, parking, storage, and technical rooms.
The Park: The entire plot opens to the public, combining dotational functions with green and recreational spaces. It serves as a meeting place, connecting different fronts through soft routes, facilitating diverse uses and events.
The Tree: A network of steel bars forms the trunk and branches, housing the library's main program. Partially covered by metal panels, the crown adapts with an ETFE plastic membrane for lighting and thermal comfort. The spaces, divided into three floors, include combinable rooms, a main reading room, and multi-purpose rooms. The design allows independent use of reading and multipurpose areas, with an opaque body on the top floor containing the technological room and newspapers area. The exterior features a terrace above the cantilevered box.