Biblioteca da Universidade
The library works as the head of the Aveiro University Campus, specifically integrated in a Master Plan which involved the principal architects of Portugal. The building is determined by his relationships with the natural landscape of the “salinas”, linking the main halls to the panorama through horizontal openings.
The building strengthens its relation with the campus being integrated to the pre-existing service platform, which continues with two bridges leading to the entrance located on the first floor, under the canopy that solves the main facade. The lower floor thus adapts to the condition, hosting technical and maintenance ares and leaves the three upper story for the library users.
The scale of the interior reading rooms is extended thanks to the big varying voids of each floors, which origin a unitarian flowing space within the three floors. The peculiar way of interpreting the open space, generates visual thoroughfare and provides generous diffuse natural light, captured by the semi-conic skylights and the western curved facade’s opening. Following the guidelines of the campus, this building clearly succeeds exploring the plastic capacities of the concrete constructive system.
