The new library in the town of Kolín serves as a bridge within the urban fabric, revitalizing the once-thriving Jiráskova Square. Its architectural language references the 19th‑century steel bridge that originally fostered the area's development. By abstracting that historic bridge, the design reinforces collective memory. Two symbolic elements frame the urban space: the verticality of the Kostel svatého Víta church is balanced by the calm, horizontally articulated mass of the new library. The building's open, accessible ground floor integrates seamlessly with its surroundings, with terraces that actively turn toward the historic square. A transparent façade and flexibly designed interior spaces invite community interaction. Library levels are connected by a centrally lit staircase atrium, and the interior gradually opens toward the urban plaza. The library is envisioned not only as a knowledge center, but also as a social hub—enhancing urban life quality and reinforcing cultural identity.
The Elbe River divides Kolín into two parts. Today’s well-known town center lies on the left bank, but this wasn’t always so. At the end of the 19th century, Jiráskova Square on the right bank played a central urban role. Today, only the solitary church tower and its adjacent cemetery preserve memory of that time. Back then, two parts of the town were connected by a new steel bridge that replaced an old wooden one. Thanks to this bridge, the area flourished and the marketplace was buzzing with activity. Until 1927, the bridge provided a direct connection to the square, but when it was replaced by a new concrete structure, access shifted northward at the expense of the square. Shortly thereafter, the square-facing houses were demolished and the lively public space became a “non‑place”—a sleeping, empty area. Currently the site is functionless and used as a parking lot. The urban-design concept aims to evoke this forgotten space of the past, and, through the relocation of the town library, to strengthen the area’s cultural, leisure, and touristic functions. In our interpretation, the library becomes a bridge within the urban fabric—offering new space for encounters. The building fuses with its environment: its freely accessible ground floor links visitors from the left-bank city center with the historical Jiráskova Square.
As a reminder of the old town, Kolín’s historic church stands with its cemetery at the eastern end of the square. The new library emerges as a counter‑pole, forming the western edge of the space. Its vertical mass balances the church’s horizontally articulated volume. Although the new library is substantial in size, it does not surpass the church’s height. The design remains calm, with terraces cantilevering toward the square to create a coherent, roughly square volume that extends the public realm between the two functions. The freely accessible ground floor enhances public use, integrating into the existing network of pathways. The plan respects the recommendations of the site’s landscape‑urban study. From the square, the recessed façade and covered-open terrace relationship provide a gentle interface, while the adjacent roundabout, with added greenery, acts as a protective buffer.
The 19th‑century steel bridge once connected this area to the city’s life-blood. Its presence activated the site, transforming it into a bustling marketplace, with inns and public events. The library draws on this collective memory and symbolism. The steel structure of the old bridge—simple and logical—activated the place. Kolín’s new library builds on the abstraction of that bridge in its construction, structure, and appearance.
A 21st‑century library is no longer just closed, quiet spaces. Its function has evolved to meet social needs, serving also as a community and gathering place. This requires clear, legible spatial organization. Visual connections and transparent spatial relationships motivate users toward active engagement. The building turns toward its surroundings with glass walls and an active façade, offering visual access that invites passers‑by inside. The interior is reinforced by a wide, multi-level staircase that can serve as stepped seating. Upper levels function similarly. Aside from solid service cores, the open, transparent spaces are organized and themed by furniture and fixtures, maintaining flexibility.
Gergely Kenéz, Detti Kolossváry
open international competition
open international competition
Beneath the building volume lie three levels of underground parking. The basement houses, in addition to parking, mechanical and storage rooms. The ground floor remains unblocked and freely passable, offering publicly accessible amenities like an auditorium and café. This multifunctional space is flexibly divisible and can be serviced by the café. At the entry level users can register for a library card; the registration area connects directly to the reading space, which can be used without membership. Programmatically, the floors are organized by age groups. The librarian’s desk is prominently located opposite the staircase. A service core divides the interior into a more closed and a more open zone. Along this dividing wall are coat racks and lockable lockers. On upper floors, additional storage is provided in built-in and freestanding cabinets, with further shelving and resource storage in the basement. Interior layout loosens toward the main staircase and the plaza. Zones on each level are separated not by fixed walls, but by furniture. Temporary divides on each floor are provided by mobile partitions or curtains. The first floor is a children’s domain, with 3 rows of low, child-accessible bookshelves totaling 588 meters of linear shelving. A sound studio, also on this floor near the entrance, is easily accessible. The play and study zones face the plaza. Youth move up to the second floor, where office functions are also located due to the floor’s central location. In the south wing, closed operational rooms and a workshop area overlooking the terrace are arranged. Here, 4 rows of shelving totaling 636 meters are provided. As one ascends, terraces become progressively larger. The youth area features a narrow outdoor reading terrace, while the adult section enjoys a more generous outdoor reading area. The topmost, most private level is reserved for adults and regional-library researchers. Here, 5 rows of shelving—1,225 + 275 meters of linear space—house the collection. The research section is enclosed, with a librarian’s desk in the controlled south wing. Adults, separated from children’s noise, have a calm space overlooking the city.
At ground level, pedestrians can walk through the building from east to west. However, the main entrance faces the square, with a covered‑open forecourt. Vehicle access to the underground garage is via Antonína Kaliny Street from the direction of the bridge, while visitors arriving from the north circle around the building and also reach the ramp from Antonína Kaliny. The ground‑floor footprint remains within the site boundaries; only the cantilevered upper terraces project beyond. The underground parking is laid out on three levels to minimize the construction footprint. The basement level offers 80 parking spaces; street level provides an additional 12, sufficient for library operations. Bicycle access is possible from both the bridge and square, with bicycle storage located near the roundabout, under the building canopy. The building is structured around two circulation cores: one an open, representative staircase between ground floor and first floor that doubles as stepped seating; the other a service core housing the emergency stairs, as well as passenger and service elevators. The lift from the underground garage opens at the ground floor, where users transfer to a passenger elevator serving upper floors. The emergency stair also reaches the ground floor. All floors are wheelchair-accessible, with interior furnishings arranged accordingly.
The library’s structural solution draws inspiration from the former steel bridge. Its structural frame is made of steel, projecting in front of the façade so that the structure is not only an aesthetic element, but also an active part of the load-bearing system. Slanted steel girders cross the steel columns above the ground floor, articulating the public and private library spaces on the façade. The projecting steel frame supports the cantilevered roofs and terraces. Central structural stiffness is provided by an internal concrete core, with additional bracing via transverse steel elements arranged along the steel grid. The vertical steel structure is paired with a horizontal reinforced‑concrete system, including floor slabs.
The primary connection between levels is the main staircase and its atrium space. Between the ground and first floor, the circulation space widens to become a reading and lounge zone. A glass roof over the stairwell ensures a bright, friendly atmosphere. Large open-plan floor plates, following the structural grid, allow flexible layouts. The expansive interior is divided into use-specific zones by furniture and shelving. Workshop spaces can be enclosed by mobile partitions or curtains during events. The exposed steel structure is complemented by visible concrete core and ceiling, with exposed mechanical systems for a raw aesthetic. These robust structural materials are softened by carpeted raised floors, wooden furniture, textiles, cushions, poufs, beanbags, and curtains. Rest areas are age-appropriate: beanbags and cushions for children; sofas and armchairs for adults.