Modern wooden architecture is slowly making its home in Poland. It started with single-family houses, then office buildings appeared, and finally the time has come for public buildings. A new library in Choszczówka in Warsaw's Bialoleka district has been erected using ecological technology, with the AMBIENT studio, founded by Magdalena Pios, responsible for the design.
The reading appetite of Choszczówka residents was until recently satisfied by books that could be borrowed from the library on Raciborska Street. However, the building, dating back to the 1950s, was in a deteriorating condition, was not equipped with central heating or sewage systems, and therefore lacked a sanitary facility. The fate of the building was determined by the deteriorating condition of the structure, which began to threaten to collapse in 2022. For ownership reasons, renovation of the building was out of the question, so there was an urgent need to erect a new library building in Choszczowka as soon as possible .
A new library for Choszczówka is badly needed, as evidenced, for example, by data on the lending library at 20 Raciborska St. Only in the last year before it was closed , it was visited by almost 16,000 readers who borrowed 47,000 items ," Anna Majchrzak, deputy mayor of Bialoleka, said at last year's conference.
The design of the new premises for the Raciborska Street book collection was undertaken by the Warsaw-based Ambient studio, known for its use of solutions based on CLT laminated wood technology. The effects of their work will be seen as early as September 12 this year, when the library will host its first author meeting.
Library in Choszczówka
Photo: Marcin Czechowicz © AMBIENT
wooden library
Designed by Ambient , the building is a rectangular in plan, two-story structure that will offer Bialoleka residents more than 670 m² of usable space. The small scale harmonizes with its surroundings - the new library branch is located on Kłosowa Street, which is dominated by single-family houses. Moved away from the roadway, the block is partially obscured by a tiny post office building, from behind which the library emerges - inviting further exploration.
Library in Choszczówka
Photo: Marcin Czechowicz © AMBIENT
What strikes the eye is first of all the material from which the library was made. This is because the building was constructed for the most part using CLT glulam technology. Thus, the timber here is the frame, but also the facade cladding, wall filling and interior finishes. These were made with extraordinary attention to detail. The warm tones of the wooden walls and the calm rhythm of the lamellar ceilings give a sense of security.
Library in Choszczówka
Photo: Marcin Czechowicz © AMBIENT
Using CLT and glulam, we can create interiors in the building that will benefit the well-being of the users, which is already confirmed by numerous studies. For example, research conducted by the University of British Columbia showed that people staying in rooms with furnishings made of wood had lower stress levels, lower blood pressure, better concentration than those staying in a room without natural materials during the study," explained Magdalena Pios, founder of the Ambient studio, in an interview on the use of CLT technology in architecture.
The building bonds with the environment not only by its appropriate scale. The basement is almost entirely glazed, providing library visitors with continuous contact with nature. Sunk in a small forest, the building interferes minimally with the space - it was designed to preserve as much of the surrounding greenery as possible. Only a narrow strip of wooden pavement has been lined at the back of the library, right next to one of the glazed entrances. The rest of the area tucked behind the library was left untouched - there is a lawn, just behind which a grove of trees begins. In front of the front part of the building there is no shortage of greenery either, and in addition to the existing one, new plantings have appeared.
Library in Choszczówka
Photo: Marcin Czechowicz © AMBIENT
standard setter
The new library building in Choszczówka is thoroughly green. It was initially created as a pilot facility for the Warsaw Green Building Standard, a project aimed at developing a set of guidelines for the pro-environmental features of new buildings under construction in the capital. Despite the fact that the project was suspended, those responsible for the concept of the new Bialoleka library did not settle on their laurels. The pro-environmental qualities of their realization have been recognized in the PLGBC 2023 competition. Of the environmentally responsible solutions, not only wood was used here as a construction material - the building's power supply is supported by photovoltaic installations and a heat pump, the issues of ventilation and rainwater management were solved ecologically.
Library in Choszczówka
Photo: Marcin Czechowicz © AMBIENT
The library in Choszczówka is also a building worthy of emulation in widely understood accessibility issues.
The library was awarded for its functionality, accessibility and the beauty of its architecture, which breaks stereotypes about frame technology. The building is a kind of environmental manifesto and can serve as a lesson in how to build better and smarter. It also proves the power of good design, which defends itself even despite extreme austerity ," reads the justification for the awards given to the library for best public space and accessibility in the 10th edition of the Architectural Award of the President of the Capital City of Warsaw.
Library in Choszczówka
Photo: Marcin Czechowicz © AMBIENT
book puzzle
The library in Choszczówka was erected in large part from prefabricated elements. In addition to reducing the carbon footprint and the harmful impact the construction site has on the surrounding nature, the use of such technology significantly reduced the time needed for construction. Despite the high level of complexity, the construction phase was completed in less than six months.
Construction work lasted from June to November. The project was particularly demanding not only in terms of time, but also in terms of the technology used and the precision and aesthetics of execution. Due to the prestigious function of the building, the implementation required us to pay very high attention to detail. The success of this realization is best evidenced by the fact that we obtained an occupancy permit directly after the completion of construction work - said Michal Oskroba, project manager from EKOINBUD, responsible for the project.
Library in Choszczówka
Photo: Marcin Czechowicz © AMBIENT
library full of activity
The first floor of the new Bialoleka library will house a lending library for adults, a magazine reading room, a media library and a multifunctional room with facilities. On the first floor: a lending library for children and young people and a multimedia room. The multifunctional room will become a place for a variety of activities conducted by the library staff, which will precede the life of the district. According to the Functional Use Plan for the new activity center, which the new library in Choszczówka is to become, it will host, among other things, workshops on environmental issues, outdoor cinemas and thematic walks. The new activity center will help integrate people living in the immediate area, as well as provide places for learning and remote work.
Library in Choszczówka
Photo: Marcin Czechowicz © AMBIENT
welcome side effect
An unplanned, beneficial consequence of the construction of a new library in Choszczówka will also be to enable the renovation of the vintage post office building located nearby in a wooden structure, at 6 Klosowa St. By bringing water to the new library, it will also be possible to connect the sewage system to the post office building, with which the local community is extremely connected, and which for years has been threatened with liquidation due to its poor technical condition.
Library in Choszczówka
Photo: Marcin Czechowicz © AMBIENT
The new building of the Choszczówka branch of the Public Library in Choszczówka shows that good architecture does not have to be expensive, overwhelm in scale and subjugate the surroundings with its obtrusive form. The building, designed by Warsaw-based studio Ambient, is minimalist, does not dominate, but blends into the idyllic landscape of the suburban neighborhood like a missing puzzle. Above all, it is also another step toward more conscious and sustainable architecture.
