Andrzej Kaczmarek from the Faculty of Architecture at the Wroclaw University of Technology won ex aequo first place in the student category in the international competition entitled. "Architecture At Zero". The subject of the competition was the design of the new public library of San Benito County, California. The work entitled. "Atrial Creep" was selected from among 150 submitted projects.
The international competition for architects and architecture students was jointly organized by the American Institute of Architects California and Pacific Gas and Electric Company in California. Participants were asked to design a zero-energy public library in Hollister, which will be built on the site of the current one, built in the 1960s. Currently, the library serves as a local community center and meeting place. Last year alone, it hosted nearly 900 different initiatives and registered more than 115,000 visits with book loans. However, there is not enough space for more activities, so the new building will be four times larger.
The volume of the library is adapted to the existing plot and buildings
© Andrzej Kaczmarek
award for Pole
The jury, consisting of architects and specialists in renewable energy and sustainable construction, evaluated two parts of the submitted projects. The first concerned the architectural part, while the second focused on technical issues, the presentation of energy efficiency strategies and systems. The jury appreciated the work entitled. "Atrial Creep" by Andrzej Kaczmarek. The first-place prize-winning project is also the subject of a thesis being developed under the direction of Dr. Paweł Kirschke.
The façade of the library, thanks to sensors, reacts to light
© Andrzej Kaczmarek
earthquake-resistant library
The place where the library is located is the junction of single-family neighborhoods, but at the same time the very center of the city. That's why it was so important in shaping the building to adapt its volume to the existing plot and surrounding buildings. In his design, Andrzej Kaczmarek decided to move the building back into the site and plunge it about six meters below the ground surface. Increasing the distance between buildings in the area and continuing the building line would achieve a better urban layout and proportions. Due to the seismic nature of the area, the author also proposed isolating the library from the ground with seismic dampers. The building's form was inspired by earthquakes and displacements of the surrounding streets. The building creates an entrance area and a terrace system by smoothly changing its shape.
step-by-step design
© Andrzej Kaczmarek
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