Open Library / ARP studio

Open Library / ARP studio - Image 2 of 20Open Library / ARP studio - Interior Photography, Closet, Shelving, TableOpen Library / ARP studio - Interior Photography, Closet, ShelvingOpen Library / ARP studio - Image 5 of 20Open Library / ARP studio - More Images+ 15

  • Architects: ARP studio
  • Area Area of this architecture project Area:  85
  • Year Completion year of this architecture project Year:  2022
  • Photographs
    Photographs:Ana Skobe
  • Lead Architects: Matjaž Bolčina, Ernest Milčinović, Jan Žonta
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Open Library / ARP studio - Image 2 of 20
© Ana Skobe
Open Library / ARP studio - Image 6 of 20
© Ana Skobe

Text description provided by the architects. Sometimes very ordinary client requests lead to surprising twists and turns and final solutions. Due to the growing number of children and limited space of the school, the school management decided to locate the new classroom in a two-story hall in the center of the school. Such a classroom would not have had adequate lighting and would have had no direct contact with the outside. In addition, the hall is a common space for all pupils. We have therefore proposed a replacement – instead of a classroom, a new library should be placed in the hall. Consequently, the new classroom would be located in the space previously occupied by the library.

Open Library / ARP studio - Interior Photography, Closet, Shelving
© Ana Skobe

The Open Library is located in the central hall of the Vič Primary School in Ljubljana. The library is created with a new structure that runs around the perimeter of the two-story hall and surrounds it. The added structure allows children to see the books and the library at all times. From the first floor, there are views of what is happening in the library. A strong emphasis is also on the preservation of the common space for children, which is enriched with books as objects of knowledge.

Open Library / ARP studio - Interior Photography, Closet, Shelving, Lighting, Windows
© Ana Skobe
Open Library / ARP studio - Image 17 of 20
Plan

The placement in the hall was not without dilemmas. As library users, we are primarily looking for the tranquility in the library. That said, the library is not without its demands - it requires silence, where we can concentrate on books.

Open Library / ARP studio - Interior Photography, Closet, Shelving, Table
© Ana Skobe
Open Library / ARP studio - Interior Photography, Closet, Shelving
© Ana Skobe
Open Library / ARP studio - Image 18 of 20
Axonometric Projection

In the central hall, some of the usual calm is forgone, as the school's 45-minute lessons are interrupted by loud five-minute breaks. A primary school library is different from a public or a study library. In the school library, pupils learn about books and reading culture, acquire reading habits, and learn to concentrate. They get used to books and use them to better understand themselves and the world, which opens up again and again into the unknown. By consciously persisting in reading, the book becomes part of the child's everyday life.  

Open Library / ARP studio - Image 19 of 20
Exploded Axonometric

The primary school library is therefore a place that puts the book at the center, where it is accessible both in quiet times and at school breaks, when it suddenly invites pupils in. At the same time, the library space is multifunctional, as it can be transformed into a temporary classroom, a space for storytelling, book presentations, socializing, or a space for writing (and copying) homework.

Open Library / ARP studio - Image 9 of 20
© Ana Skobe

The library is designed as a light and translucent. The structure consists of primary timber elements that define the spatial grid in plan and view. Metal frames are inserted between the primary timber grid. Each element in the perimeter structure has its role, both structurally and visually. The clarity of the structural design was evident during construction, where the stacking system allowed the whole structure to be erected quickly. The bookcases are placed on the inside along the lower part of the structure. The semicircular staircase, which was closed before the intervention, was reopened and incorporated into the new intervention.

Open Library / ARP studio - Image 5 of 20
© Ana Skobe

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Project location

Address:Ljubljana, Slovenia

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Location to be used only as a reference. It could indicate city/country but not exact address.
About this office
Cite: "Open Library / ARP studio" 26 Apr 2024. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/1016000/open-library-arp-studio> ISSN 0719-8884

© Ana Skobe

开放图书馆 / ARP 工作室

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