De Krook is the new city library of Ghent, designed by Spanish architecture firm RCR Arquitectes  and  the Belgian firm Coussée & Goris architecten, after a competition in 2010.
The monumental building, which incorporates works by artist Michaël Borremans, intended as an ‘open house for knowledge and innovation' and cultural catalyst to the city. The stark metallic structure lies along the waterfront and offers an interesting contrast with the surrounding historic monuments. What used to be a neglected corner of the city is now a 'balcony to the city'.
 

Description of project by RCR Arquitectes + Coussée & Goris architecten

When the city of Ghent organized a contest in 2010 for a new city library, the city had a rather extensive wish list. The new building had to house a library, meeting rooms and a café overlooking the city, as well as offices and laboratories for the University of Ghent and a center for new media (IMEC). Yet the new building also had to become a worthy architectural sparring partner of Henry Van de Velde’s nearby masterpiece the “Boekentoren” (book tower) - the university library -, as well as play a vital element in the regeneration of the dilapidated neighbourhood as a place of gathering for local residents.

The design of de Krook - with its visible steel construction organized as a stack of stark horizontal plateaus - certainly makes a bold architectural statement. The building lies beside the river the Scheldt, the stream that reaches its lowest point here on its journey through the city and in doing so makes a bend, or ‘krook’ in old Dutch (hence the name of the site). The architects chose to mirror this kink in the design of the building, thus optically reducing the volume of the building and allowing more communal areas and greenery alongside the building. Inside a double height agora is multiplied on the upper floors creating a flow of vertical and horizontal relations, while the intimate, homely atmosphere bathed in soft filtered light is combined with a wide-open view of the city or – depending on the floor level - the bustle of the riverside. Outside two new bridges allow pedestrians and bikers easy access to the platform, thus creating a new passageway, welcoming visitors and locals alike.

The aim of the building is to create a city within a city and at the same time make a fluent connection with its actual surroundings. As a first and crucial step the architects decided to elevate the level of the main entrance so that the building is more connected into the urban fabric. Inside the building mimics a city with its streets, squares and public meeting-spaces. The physical link with the surrounding city is created by means of attractive views across the urban landscape, thus creating a visual connection between inside and outside. The building is therefore extremely transparent and open, allowing local residents to meet here once again and discover what this reclaimed location has to offer. The interior is kept fairly dark, on the one hand this enhances the visual display of the views towards the city but on the other hand the relative darkness has an interesting effect on the level of sound. The ceiling consists of lamellas, allowing for excellent acoustic absorption, but is the softness of the light which brings about the subjective experience of quietness.

The materials of the Krook library are stripped to its essence: construction materials metal and concrete remain unembellished and given free reign to play the role as protagonists in the final appearance. Both Coussée & Goris architecten and RCR Arquitectes are both influenced by the Arte Povera, they both urge on an honest approach towards the material. Opting for this practice of rawness where construction materials are left exposed, demands an immaculate finishing, with a high sense for technical detail and precision. Yet at the same time this practice benefits the sustainability and the building costs, both of the building process itself and the maintenance of the building on the long term. The building is entirely constructed out of prefabricated metal elements. Because 85 percent of all materials could be transported over water to be delivered on site, the city was also preserved from a possible transport nuisance.

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Architects
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RCR Arquitectes, Coussée & Goris architecten. Authors: Rafael Aranda (1961 Spain); Carme Pigem (1962 Spain); Ramon Vilalta (1960 Spain); Ralf Coussée (1959 Belgium); Klaas Goris (1960 Belgium).
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Collaborators
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Building advising.- Studiebureau Mouton. Art.- Borremans Michael. Acoustical.-Raum + akustik – Christina Niederstätter – Giovanni Dissegna, Blasco acoustic design & engineering. Building technology.- VK-Engineering. Construction.- TV Antwerpse Bouwwerken NV / Valens NV. Electrical.- Vma NV. Climatisation.-Vandewalle NV.
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Client
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Cvba Waalse Krook
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Cost
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€/m² 1,950
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Area
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Gross area.- 5000m². Usable floor area.- 18.419m²
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Dates
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Competition.- 2010. Year completed.- 2017 (Year began 2015)
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Photography
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Hisao Suzuki.
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Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem and Ramon Vilalta, work together since 1988 under the name RCR ARQUITECTES in Olot. They are Premio Nacional de Cultura en Arquitectura 2005 by Generalitat de Catalunya, Chevaliers de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres by Republique Française in 2008, honorary members by the AIA American Institute of Architecture 2010 and International Award 2011 "Belgian Building Awards". Since 1989 are architects advisors at Parque Natural de la Zona Volcánica de la Garrotxa and have been teachers of Urban Planning and Landscape Architecture and Project. They have won different international competitions (the latter, the Waalsekrook media library in Belgium, the Soulages museum in France, Hofheide's crematorium in Belgium and The Edge Bussiness Bay in Dubai). They have received awards in his work among which two finalists positions in the awards of the European Union Mies Van der Rohe. Some of their awarded works have been exhibited in different events and published in several monographs.

RCR has shown the ability to think and transform that bring teamwork and the promotion of cultural initiatives from Bunka Foundation and workshops within the LAB-A in the Espacio Barberí, and have proven that it is possible to do international architecture from a rural environment, which is what has stimulated his imagination.

Following the work of RCR there is a philosophy which works for harmony between humans and nature. The most advanced technologies and materials such as steel or glass, with established rhythms and light that acts in opposition to each, are those that allow RCR this return to the essence of space that is the subject of architecture.

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Published on: January 17, 2019
Cite: "De Krook library by RCR + Coussée & Goris" METALOCUS. Accessed
<https://www.metalocus.es/en/news/de-krook-library-rcr-coussee-goris> ISSN 1139-6415
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