Studio Farris was the winner of the competition organized by the City of Bruges to design the extension of the Saint-Andries municipal library. The work was completed in March this year and the new building is already in operation.

The Belgian Studio Farris Architects, founded by the Italian architect Giuseppe Farris, designs the extension of the municipal library of Bruges with the intention of a strong contrast with the existing building. The lower height, the Corten steel finishing and a series of windows of varying sizes, differ markedly from the new building of the old library.

This visual break is given by the requirements of the City of Bruges, seeking greater visibility from the outside and a strong identity of the library regarding the rest of the cultural activities.

Description of the project by Studio Farris

The plot on which the library had to be expanded was very limited in size and located in an urban environment. The existing library, alongside other public services, was located in a building that’s listed on the inventory of architectural heritage.

The request of the client consisted of a complex set of requirements, along with the wish to make the library more visible from the adjacent streets and give it its own identity to make it stand out from the multiplicity of other services located in the existing building.

The extension is subordinate to the main building in terms of dimensions and is visually disconnected from it by its materialisation: the facades are finished in Corten steel panels that contrast with the white plastered facades of the main building. The position of the extension emphasises the tension between the existing heritage building and the new volume.

Large windows are located on the corners of the new volume to give the library the necessary visibility and interaction with its surroundings. Functions such as reading corners, workspaces and the reception desk are located close to these large windows so they benefit from the natural light streaming in.

To create a pleasant atmosphere in the library, 3 different types of windows were used, allowing visitors to enjoy natural light throughout the day and seasons.

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Architects
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Studio Farris.
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Collaborators
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Structural engineering.- Planet Engineering.
Technical engineering.- Studiebureau Boydens.
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Client
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City of Bruges.
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Contractor
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Bouw & Renovatie.
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Area
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555 m².
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Dates
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Completed in March 2015
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Location
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Bruges, Belgium.
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Photography
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Lumecore/Toon Grobet.
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Studio Farris Arquitectos es un estudio de arquitectura con sede en Amberes, Bélgica y fundada por el arquitecto italiano Giuseppe Farris en 2008. El objetivo del estudio es descubrir el potencial intrínseco en cada proyecto, cuestionando lo obvio, explorando el entorno y el patrimonio cultural. Todo ello, siempre en la búsqueda de la armonía entre la sostenibilidad y la innovación, la funcionalidad y la experiencia, la relación y el sentimiento. Los usuarios del edificio juegan un papel fundamental en la concepción de la arquitectura.

Giuseppe Farris nació el 11 de Noviembre de 1972 en Cagliari, Italia. Después de asistir a la escuela secundaria, obtuvo su titulación como arquitecto en el Istituto Universitario di Architettura di Venezia (IUAV) en Venecia.

En 2001 se traslada a Bélgica y desde entonces trabaja en varios proyectos en colaboración con Jo Crepaim.En 2008 funda Giuseppe Farris Arquitectos en Amberes de la que es actualmente el director gerente y arquitecto principal. En 2009 gana el concurso para la remodelación de la sala de entrada del Parlamento flamenco en Bruselas. Después de la finalización en 2010, fue nominado para el Premio Holandés Lai. La renovación de la sala de la ciudad de Lovaina, para albergar nuevos espacios para la compañía de radio y televisión pública belga VRT, se inició en 2010 y se terminó en 2012. A principios de 2015, fue nominado a la WAN 21 for21 Premio (Londres), y poco después ganó el Premio Architizer A + (Nueva York) por la Torre Park.

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Published on: July 1, 2015
Cite: "City library in Bruges by Studio Farris" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/city-library-bruges-studio-farris> ISSN 1139-6415
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