Post by emaoudee on May 29, 2016 12:28:51 GMT -6
FRAMED ESCAPE
Entry #505267588
Designing a librairy for Abetenim's School
Design Team : Maude Cannat, Rachel Méau (France)
Design statement
A school's library is a fount of knowledge, which allows students to enjoy different activities and opportunities for learning throughout the day, whether it be a peaceful break enjoying calm reading time, or reaping the rewards of research and dynamic group activities. Being particularly sensitive to rammed earth construction, we got involved in this project with the idea of bringing ancestral building techniques back into contemporary architecture. The packed native soil of the walls and floor of the library emphasizes the continuity between the virgin soil and the building, creating a special atmosphere.
The library has been designed and structured with thick exterior rammed earth walls, insulating the interior and protecting the students from direct sunlight, constant heat, and any outside noise. The ground's topography is dug in order to offer a different atmosphere at each level. The first one, on the same level as the entrance, is designed for studying and research. The second, invites the visitor to sit for an individual or collective reading session in a hollow space sculpted by terraced steps. The working area and the reading area are located facing a centralized, landscaped patio, designed both as a courtyard as well as a room for the library.
The surrounding walls are also sculpted in their thickness to accommodate bookshelves and sitting areas. Thus the library, its books, and its users form one whole entity including four tables and two mobile seating areas. This way, the interior can easily serve as a multipurpose area for activities beyond quiet reading. The garden-like patio, acting like green lungs for the entire structure, is an extension of the reading room, and invites a generous amount of natural light into the library, as well as natural cooling via the slightly perforated walls. The detached roofing is held by a thin wooden structure, underlining the transition between the strictly interior space and the patio, and guaranteeing constant ventilation throughout the day. Moreover, the overhanging roof and its double inclination allows rainwater to be routed away from the rammed earth walls.
This simple module, which can be multiplied as an expansion when the school grows, offers the students and teachers an earth-built library, where serenity and tranquility encourages focus and concentration.
Budget
Roofing : 1500 $
Structure : 2500 $
Furniture : 2000 $
Walls & Foundations : 1500 $
Ground : 500$
TOTAL COST : 8000 $