Federal state library Jalisco

Urban Development

The new library in Guadalajara is part of Cesar Pelli’s master plan for the expansion of the university on the northern edge of the city. The imposing, rectangular building encloses the northern edge of the square. A shift away from the square’s axis makes possible a precise connection over the Periferico Norte motorway to the existing university campus. The public square and the library act as the master plan’s anchor. This unity of edifice and square is carried over into the reddish brown tones of the cement that flows from the outer space into the building’s interior.

The Library

The new library is a gathering place for people from all walks of life. The inviting public area on the ground floor and the ties to the surrounding structures weave the building into the overall master plan. Visitors to the surrounding buildings (shopping mall, multiplex cinemas, and university) feel welcome to use the library. Social barriers are thus dismantled.

A series of varied public functions are woven into the different library departments. Visitors also have a wide range of communication platforms or secluded areas for quiet and reflection. The library becomes a place for social interchange.

Day and Night

The building is open to the public 24 hours a day. During the day it radiates a calming magnitude. The perforated metal façade unifies the layered volume and covers or encloses the building with something like an embroidered cloak. At sunset, the massive edifice dissolves into a constellation of layered light slits. Larger openings respond in different ways to the surrounding urban setting. A multistoried window gazes down on the square and a dynamic slit stretches along the motorway.