The members of JEMS Architekci emphasized on many occasions that the new wing was to be a background, not competition, for the showy façade of the palace. That was why they gave the new wing the form of a simple glass cube, the part of which faces the street covered by a composition made from concrete pillars:
The multi-shot homogenous facade made from delicate, vertical concrete elements constitutes a natural complement to the light, elegant historical colonnade – the designers described their idea.
The facade of the new wing of the library can be associated with the rhythm of the columns in the facade of the historical part – the new wing’s façade is a modern interpretation of the aforementioned rhythm. By means of uniform concrete elements, the architects created a simple and elegant form which harmoniously complemented the existing historical developments and also didn’t disrupt the ornate façade of the 19th century palace.
The architects from JEMs Architekci not only had to tailor its form to the demanding surroundings, they also had to appropriately plan the library’s interiors. In the past athenaeums constituted closed oases of knowledge accessible only for a chosen few. Contemporary libraries are open democratic spaces which encourage everyone to use book resources. It is similar in Poznań. The first floor of the Raczyński Library is taken up by a cafe, a bookstore and an art gallery. From here, wide stairs lead to the first floor, where there are catalogues and computer stations. On the next floor the reading room is located, part of which is taken up by “enclaves” for those who prefer to work in separation from the library surroundings. Nevertheless, a great part of the reading room is an open space, in which free access to the books enables the unrestricted use of them.
Reading rooms are spaces in which everybody moves easily and has books at arm’s reach. These spaces are friendly and open. But they also contain places of seclusion, concentration amidst books – Marek Moskal from JEMS Architekci told the portal Poznan.pl.
The last two floors are taken up by the magazines library, the middle floor designated for the special collections reading room and for workshops, amongst others, on conservation and bookbinding.
Poznań gained not only a modern library, but also a very fine example of contemporary architecture fitted into a historical context.
Author: Anna Cymer, May 2014
Translated by: Marek Kępa