A library called the Biblioteca Pública María Lejárraga, located in the beautiful landscape of Ardales, Andalusia (Spain), symbolizes the region's agricultural history. The tobacco drying shed orchestrated by Rubens Cortés Arquitectos, consisting of the reconstruction of the existing demolished structure with state-of-the-art facilities, embodies the past brought to life in the present, albeit with a strong modern accent.
Being a Guardian of Our Past and Steering Toward a Future
By renovating tobacco drying sheds, this project will remind us of the history of Granada's farming, where these sheds are the primary symbols of the surroundings. Initially, though, these historical buildings have seen urbanization and propagandists changing the face of the city. And so challenged by Rubens Cortés Arquitectos with their goal to revamp and reuse one of the said galleries, that old shed breathed life again, this time as a library. This unique reading room is the Laramie Public Library's crown jewel and offers a unique setting and a sequence of lighting cycles throughout the day.
At the heart of the library's modern extension lies its pièce de résistance: the vast reading room which operated from morning light to nightfall. Bathed in the filtered sunlight coming through the solar screen, which is the timber-wise facade, the atmosphere of inexplicable warmth and peace overwhelms you. The structure's interior is supported mainly by overlapping wooden beams in an intricate crisscross network surrounding the supporting walls, ceiling, and floor. The modernized cover comprises 162 unique wooden frames; it depicts a drying shed constructed from a square area with pentagonal portions, repeating the outline of the original drying shed. It should be noted that this intricate design is not only a nod or recall to the farms of the past but also speaks of the harmony of the old and the new in architectural design.
Performing its role of environmental sustainability and innovative design, Rubens Cortes Architects maximized the landscape's depreciation by using a creative design style. Hence, the extension's sculpting below the ground level helped to minimize its visual mass yet perfectly amphibian its bioclimatic performance. This underground technique creates another common sense-based cooling effect, leading to lesser energy consumption levels and the store's sustainability.
In contrast to the slightly hidden-from-the-eyes design, the library's interiors are full of sun, a breath of fresh air for everyone indoors. Concisely located through the wooden grid, semitransparent windows, and skylights fill the space with sunlight, making the feast of hunting less theatrical and bringing the outdoors into the indoors.
Honoring Tradition, Embracing Innovation
Biblioteca Pública María Lejárraga, located in Ogijares, the peaceful locality, becomes a tangible symbol of the skillful integration of tradition and innovation. By conserving an old tobacco drying shed and embedding it in the canopy, Rubens Cortés Arquitectos has achieved a space that pays tribute to the past while giving place to the roaring future. The impact of the shimmering space is that it is not only where Andalusia's heritage is celebrated but also where incredible architecture is used as a symbol of innovation.
