Sangiorgio Library

The intervention expresses the principles always present in the conceptions of the practice: the need of a dialogue with present and future contexts. The project (in Sangiorgio, Pistoia) follows a two-level competition and deals with the refur-bishment of a hangar on the site of ex-Breda, east part, strictly connected to the historic centre of the town.

The basic structure involves three vaulted aisles covering approximately 4,000 square meters with a minimum thickness of 40 m. to be converted into a library containing about 350,000 books, 100 multimedia stations, a children library, a wide conference room and offices covering about 8,000 square meters.

The project redevelops the old vertical structures, introducing wide horizontal floors, redesigns the vaulted roofs with lami-nated wooden arches, sets a compact figure on the longitudi-nal fronts, is stripped down at the sides creating an overall image of a skeleton, drawing out the old features and breaking them down.