Home » Projects » Biblioteca Leo Falicov, library

Biblioteca Leo Falicov

Bariloche, Argentina. 2009

Biblioteca Leo Falicov, render of the entrance between white walls and trees, a building of the Instituto Balseiro, Bariloche

Biblioteca Leo Falicov, render of the glazed lobby with softened light, visual comfort in a Patagonian climate, Bariloche

Biblioteca Leo Falicov, render of the linear plaza of courtyards seen from inside, the connecting axis of the building, Bariloche

Biblioteca Leo Falicov, render of the reading room with shelves and wooden furniture by the large window, Bariloche

Biblioteca Leo Falicov, render of a tree-lined courtyard between glass facades, a sequence of inner courtyards, Bariloche

Biblioteca Leo Falicov, render of the hallway beside the white wall with light refracted by the treetops, Bariloche

Biblioteca Leo Falicov, aerial render of the roofs between two strips of trees to the north and south, Bariloche

Overview

Biblioteca Leo Falicov is part of the Instituto Balseiro, at the Centro Atómico Bariloche, one of the most important scientific and technological hubs in the Americas. The climate sets the design priorities. Temperatures drop to -25°C in winter and demand maximum lighting and thermal comfort with minimal energy use.

The spatial organization is generated by two strips of trees to the north and south that frame the interior spaces. Between them, a linear plaza of planted courtyards acts as the connecting axis, crossed by internal links that can open onto the sequence of courtyards. Water, vegetation and three kinds of light (direct sunlight, light refracted by water and light filtered by the tree canopies) create an atmosphere that offsets the harshness of the Patagonian climate.

The program includes an administrative area, a cafeteria, a periodicals room, an exhibition hall, a historical archive, the library of the Fundación Bariloche and support services. Wooden furniture adds warmth to the space and follows the same principle that orders the building. Every material and spatial decision seeks the well being of library users in one of the most demanding climates on the continent.