Geneva Central Library
International Competition · 2023
with Joan Massagué
The proposal for the new Geneva Central Library is rooted in a posture of care, respect and attentive listening to the historic ensemble of the Bastions. The project focuses on two key areas: the rehabilitation of the Salève Wing, one of the historical arms of the complex, and the construction of a new underground archive beneath the entrance plaza. Together, they define a clear and energy-efficient system that meets the demands of the 21st century.
The intervention seeks to declutter and clarify the existing building by removing accumulated additions over time. This operation makes it possible to restore the original volume and bring back light and air to the interior spaces—particularly the historic library, which regains its identity as a noble, open and welcoming space.
The new archive, buried beneath the plaza, is conceived as a structural and technical precision mechanism, designed to guarantee optimal conditions for conservation, security and accessibility. Its underground position minimizes the impact on the park while enhancing the connection between the three wings of the complex via a functional and direct subterranean logistics core.
The project proposes an architecture that is precise, discreet and committed to heritage, projecting the past into the future without compromising its character. A clear and contained intervention that sees the library as both a place of memory and a space for collective projection: open to knowledge, to the city, and to time itself.
