K B Center Library Building

View of the new library building in the courtyard.

Project Details

• Project Name: K B Center Library Building
• Client: KB 1909 Spa
• Project Type: Architectural design
• Principal Designer: Waltritsch A+U
• Design Team: Dimitri Waltritsch, Renzo Cocetta, Fabio Garizio
• Contractors: Zoran Pasalic, Monfalcone (general contractor), Seretti s.r.l., S. Giorgio di Nogaro (facades and cladding)
• Year of commencement of project: 2005
• Year of completion of project: 2006
• Location of site: Gorizia, Corso Verdi 51, Italy
• Site Area: 1,800 square meters
• Built-up Area: 1,800 square meters
• Cost of Construction/Execution: 650,000 Euros

View of the library from the south.

The Building

The K B Center is a space for cultural and social interaction dedicated to the Slovenian community in Gorizia, located in the heart of the city's 19th century development.

The main goal of the center is to promote Slovenian cultural activity within a multi-ethnic framework.

The facade is clad in synthetic wood with glazed openings.

The center brings together 13 organizations dedicated to different cultural interest and age groups. Among these are a library, two educational institutions, the Slovenian Cultural and Economic Association and a music school.

The brief required the adaptive reuse of an existing building as well as the realization of a new two storey structure to house the library in the interior courtyard.

View of the newly clad portico leading to the courtyard.

The design of the new building establishes a dialogue between the historical context of the site and a contemporary architectural language through its form, which is largely influenced by the physical constrictions of the historical city.

The new building was conceived as 'a large piece of furniture which slides on the courtyard floor', in order to maintain the intimacy of the courtyard and garden.

View of the refurbished green space.

The frameless facade is realized in synthetic wood and glass in order to create a delicate insertion into the urban fabric with neighboring buildings less than five meters away.

The large windows act as program displays allowing for visual connects between the interiors of the library and the refurbished garden space.

Detail of facade cladding.

The ground floor houses the new Qubik cafe towards the street.

The cafe together with the new wide event terrace on the first floor, and with the conference room on the third floor enthuse the space with public activity.

Credits

• Text by Dimitri Waltritsch, Vanna Coslovich, Courtesy of the architect
• Photographs by Marco Covi, Courtesy of the architect
• Compiled and edited by Varun Ajani