project: ZAD_ZADAR University campus and library
client: University of Zadar
type: public
location: Zadar, Croatia
surface: 13500 m2
date: 09.06.2009
status: competition entry
project team: AVP_arhitekti, SANGRAD, Arch. Emil Špirić
The library building is introverted, dignified and typological highly ranked. Its solidness comes due to its location within a city where stone predominates and sun insulation is high, thus the project becomes a composition of massive volumes interacting between each other, like a sculpture from Chillida.
Hermetic on the exterior and opened within the inner space, (through which the interior of the library get a diffuse and shadowy light), the library project bets on the architectural duality: external rough monochrome materiality and the smoothness of the inner glassed surfaces. The Building’s main body is lifted from the ground floor creating a canopy that covers the access square and creates a space beneath for gathering and enjoying without enduring the natural conditions (sun, rain, etc.).
The library project, by using basic architectural resources such as orientation, materials and common sense, complies with a higher green energy performance. The idea is to reduce to the maximum the use of unnecessary construction and installation systems thus energy consumption to be as passive as possible. Wastewater will be collected and led to a wastewater treatment process in the basement, where it is then cleaned, processed and recycled for irrigation of the green areas.
