The new library of Arenys de Mar is located in the former convent of Les Clarisses, a late 19th Century “modernista”-style building listed as a heritage site. It is settled in the last green remnant of the village agricultural past and has the potential to become a connection between the river and the mountains. Based on the respect for the existing U-shaped building, we propose an extension of the original volume by means of a large gabled photovoltaic roof that houses a series of fluid platforms, which open to the surrounding landscape, making the user experience an enjoyment of light and nature.
The library will have outdoor reading spaces on the ground floor and a large balcony on the first floor. The rest of the garden is embedded into the natural topography with a series of slopes that allow the connection of the surrounding neighbourhoods at different heights. In front of the main façade, a large square will held all kinds of civic events.
