In the small town of Glucholazy, once gracefully known as Goat's Neck, located at the foot of the Sudeten Mountains right on the border with the Czech Republic, which was famous for its former status as a health resort, the purist, restrained exterior of the Community Library has sprung up in 2019. It is modern, but it also fit into an uneasy spatial context that proved to be quite a challenge.
The author of the architectural concept, Antoni Domicz, despite these difficulties, undertook the realization of the library building, which was created under the National Reading Development Program and with the financial support of the Book Institute, the city budget and the civic budget as part of the Cultural Center. The difficulties in this case were that the building was to be located on a narrow plot of land between a townhouse and a concert hall. Previously, the site was occupied by a demolished warehouse that served as a cinema for some time. Director of the Cultural Center Jan Ćwik, aware of the difficulties and the need for rigor due to the context, stressed that he was looking for an architect, not a designer, having been impressed by the solution to the building of the Central Caritas Library in Opole by the studio of M. and A. Domicz.
The exterior elevation of the Głuchołazy Municipal Library
Photo: Stanisław Zajączkowski © M. and A. Domicz - Pracownia Architektury Opole
The gate of the Municipal Library in Glucholazy
photo: Stanisław Zajączkowski © M. and A. Domicz - Pracownia Architektury Opole
minimalism and gold
In this spatial situation and with a very modest budget, a minimalist, unobtrusive building was created, which fits into the historical context and fills the available plot almost entirely. The body of the library is elongated and cuboidal and consists of two stories, while the walls at the border of the plot are devoid of window openings. The interior is illuminated by indirect light coming in through a slit in the glass roof running along the lobby, which also serves as the foyer of the Cultural Center's auditorium. As for the interior facade, it is divided by horizontal strips of glass and white-painted concrete. In reference to the history of Głuchołazy, which, like the nearby Czech town of Zlate Hory, used to be famous for its gold mines, the entrance gate, woodwork, handrails and informational elements are all in the color of old gold.The aforementioned lobby shared by the library and the Cultural Center's auditorium was created under the budget as an element that structurally connects the two buildings.
The interior of the Głuchołazy Municipal Library
Photo: Stanisław Zajączkowski © M. and A. Domicz - Pracownia Architektury Opole
Interior elevation of the Municipal Library in Glucholazy
photo: Stanisław Zajączkowski © M. and A. Domicz - Pracownia Architektury Opole
Interior elevation of the Municipal Library in Glucholazy
photo: Stanisław Zajączkowski © M. and A. Domicz - Pracownia Architektury Opole
background for the local community
Significantly, the implementation of Domicz's concept required permission to demolish the sanitary complex next to the concert hall, which had been renovated a few years earlier, which met with the approval of the city authorities. The result was a realization that dealt with space limitations in an unforced and very ergonomic way. The library not only received a positive opinion from the authorities, but also met with public appreciation. This realization can be treated in a broader context, not only as a library, but also as a place for social activities or interaction, which also fits in with contemporary trends in the design of such public buildings. The hallway, which connects the library and the Cultural Center, provides a kind of background for the local community and is a place for organizing events such as concerts, lectures, various kinds of meetings, such as authors, competitions or exhibitions. What's more, the Cultural Center has also expanded its program offerings by adapting rooms previously occupied by library lending rooms into studios and art workshops. Glucholazy, despite the fact that the period of its spa splendor is behind it, is still popular as a tourist destination. Hence, the library's massing becomes an attractive and unobvious element of space for both residents and visitors.
The interior of the Głuchołazy Municipal Library
Photo: Stanisław Zajączkowski © M. and A. Domicz - Pracownia Architektury Opole
Interior of the Municipal Library in Glucholazy
photo: Stanisław Zajączkowski © M. and A. Domicz - Pracownia Architektury Opole
