At the end of 2002, a new building for the Jagiellonian Library in Cracow was opened, intended as a significant addition to the existing historic building of Poland's oldest library.
The architects of Atelier Loegler & Partners decided to create a new building in such close proximity to a building of unquestionably high historical and artistic value, in clear reference to the scale and form of the existing building erected in the years 1931-39 and designed by the renowned architect Wacław Krzyżanowski at the time.
Despite obvious differences resulting from functional, technological, material and stylistic considerations, both buildings share an elegant architectural form with subtle details.
The common feature is undoubtedly the rhythmic divisions on the longer façades and the material used – light-coloured sandstone with a warm tone.
Unlike the older part of the building, light and the use of light in the architecture play a major role in the new part. This is particularly evident in the publicly accessible part of the ground floor, where large, glazed areas have been used. For safety, Pilkington Optilam™ 6.4 laminated glass was used here, partially obscured by an external system of horizontal stone slabs suspended on thin steel cables. This solution allows for an interesting effect of diffusing light entering the interior.
Also on the ground floor, an exhibition hall has been designed, separated from the general space by a fully collapsible wall made of toughened glass.
Similarly, the lending area located in the central part of the ground floor on the axis of the new entrance can be closed off.
Right next to it, on either side of the entrance axis, are the public circulation risers: a three-run staircase and two glass lifts. Even on the way up to the reading room, whether walking up the stairs or taking the lift, the reader has a sense of being in contact with a book thanks to the partially glazed walls of the storeroom, through which one can see the shelved collections of volumes.
The large amount of internal glazing was intended to create a feeling of spaciousness, despite the considerable accumulation of rooms in a relatively small space. Hence the presence of fanlights in the office and reading rooms, where Pilkington Pyrostop® EI 60 fire-resistant glass was installed.
In addition, it emerged from discussions with library staff that it was extremely desirable to introduce daylight into the interiors to increase the comfort of both the librarians themselves and the readers in the library.
The reading rooms in the new building, in contrast to the old library building, have been opened up to the surrounding space using large glass surfaces in the west wall. The façade was made using Pilkington Suncool™ 66/33 high performance solar control glass in widows and Pilkington Spandrel Glass E 100* in non-transparent areas.
As a result, the view of the trees surrounding the building is present in both the reading and storage rooms, providing a sense of contact with the outside world, as well as providing temporary relief for tired eyes.
* The Pilkington Spandrel Glass E100 used in this project has been withdrawn from our range. We recommend using other products from the Pilkington Spandrel Glass Coated range (E120, E140, E200) instead.