For Súria Library, Javier de las Heras Solé establishes an orthogonal structure that organises the spaces and defines the building's volume. The ground floor houses the Cultural Centre and spaces for local associations, while the two upper floors accommodate the library, with separate entrances according to their uses. The overall composition is organized around an interesting staircase—a space where light, spatial permeability, and views take center stage, creating an appealing interior.
The façade, composed of large vertical fins, expresses the building's public character and forms a backdrop to the new square. The perimeter staircase connects the different levels, while an interior courtyard organises the layout, allows natural light to enter and facilitates orientation.
Súria Library by Javier de las Heras Solé. Photograph by José Hevia.
Project description by Javier de las Heras Solé
Square. Street. Public Space
Conceive the new section of Magí Fàbrega Street as a square—the entrance hall to the new library and the gateway to the “Pla de les hortes.”
A public space for gathering and meeting. Through repetition and pattern, this project proposes an architecture that eschews gratuitous gestures, one in which the focus is on the citizen and the ways in which they use the space. It is an architecture that recognizes and highlights existing physical, heritage, and cultural elements, integrating itself into the context and fostering the collective appropriation of the place.
Backdrop
A facade of large vertical slats signals its character as a public facility and forms a backdrop for the new plaza. The ground floor organizes the program clearly and effectively, placing the café in direct relation to the exhibition space—the auditorium—the plaza, and with views of the “Pla de les Hortes.”
Pla de les Hortes
This is the name given to the Súria vegetable garden. Together with the “Pla de Reguant,” they form a group of natural and landscape features representative of the riparian forest and agricultural garden, which are of prime importance to the municipality and the entire Cardener Valley.
Site Plan
The proposal is based on the trapezoidal geometry of the lot resulting from the urban planning regulations. Through a layout based on strict orthogonality, with an axis perpendicular to Magí Fàbrega Street, a clear and coherent structure is established that organizes the spaces and defines the building’s volumetry.
The building is configured as a compact volume, with a continuous roofline at +13.70 m, designed to blend into the urban environment and maintain continuity with the profile of the adjacent residential building.
The program is distributed across the ground floor and two upper floors. The ground floor houses the Cultural Center and the community space, while the two upper floors are dedicated to the library. Entrances are differentiated according to use: the library and the café are located on Magí Fàbrega Street, and the Cultural Center and the community space are accessed from Pius i Macià Street.
Program
Ground Floor
The ground floor is conceived as the level of direct interaction between the building and public space. The proposal incorporates a new plaza connected to Magí Fàbrega Street, designed as a gathering space and an extension of the activities of the library, the Cultural Center, and community initiatives. The library and the café are accessed from this plaza.
Access from Pius i Macià Street leads to the Cultural Center, which features an exhibition hall that serves as the foyer for the multipurpose hall, equipped with movable partitions that allow it to be divided into two spaces. The layout is completed by a technical control room, restrooms, and spaces for the building’s utilities.
First Floor
The first floor houses the library’s main areas: reception and promotion, the general reading area, the children’s section, and internal workspaces.
An interior courtyard organizes the layout, allows natural light to enter, and serves as a visual reference point that helps users find their way. A perimeter staircase connects the different levels and reinforces the spatial continuity of the complex.
Adjacent to the information desk, a double-height space connected to the façade on Pius i Macià Street emphasizes the facility’s public character and visually connects both floors. The children’s area features a terrace opening onto the new plaza, designed as an outdoor extension for reading and play activities.
Second Floor
The second floor completes the library’s program and retains the courtyard as the central element for organization, lighting, and orientation. Access is via the staircase connected to the double-height space, ensuring continuity between the two floors.
The program is distributed across a small reception and promotional area, a spacious general area for reference and reading, and an internal work area. The layout promotes a clear distribution and a constant visual connection with the central space.
Roof Level
The roof is designated for technical installations, primarily HVAC equipment, and includes space for photovoltaic panels and a landscaped area.
