Biblioteca Leo Falicov

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.