THE “BOOKMARK” CONCEPT
I believe that we stand before a unique chance as participants in the Varna library competition. One has very rarely the chance to take a glimpse of the future, but we have the opportunity to live in it. We have to admit that the intellectual sphere hasn’t changed much since Gutenberg. The way we communicate and store information is the only aspect that has changed. Тhe precise calligraphic images, printed on paper, have been replaced with a virtual world, hidden somewhere beyond the digital screens. We would like the new library in Varna to live in the new digital time, and in the meantime to maintain the sensation of the book we all like to hold in our hands. We hope that the “dog ear” folded paper sheet will become a strong symbol of the past and the digits of zeros and ones, written on the sheet will represent the future. This is our “BOOKMARK” concept. 

THE LIBRARY AND THE CITY
The future library has a remarkable location. Positioned in the hearth of the city centre, the site communicates with the most significant buildings
in Varna. The architectural ensemble is dominated by the high- rise town hall building. We would like to keep the original composition of the urban fabric, so the height of the new library is decreased in order to avoid an intervention in the existing silhouette. The newly proposed body has its lowest point on the north, in order not to cast shadows over the existing residential buildings, and is highest on the south, towards the public square. In this way the silhouette resembles the military ships from the history of the Bulgarian marine force; as if the proud frigate “Druzcky” emerges from the ground

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THE LIBRARY AND THE YOUNG 

In a time when almost everything can be done from the PC at home, and the Internet provides access to information worldwide, why should one ever visit a library? It is out of doubt that the library of the 21st century is not just a storage space, full of dusty book shelves, but a place where different generations communicate and interact in an environment of culture, art and information. Our library has an open-space plan, where the reading areas are arranged vertically in а light-bathed terraced cascade, imitating the way the waves rise at the beaches of Ficoza.

THE EXPERIENCE OF THE LIBRARY
We believe that the library must have interesting and attractive spatial characteristics. The most active zones are located on the ground floor – children’s zone, bookstore, souvenirs and press, café-bar and projection hall. The upper level accommodates the art and mediatheque zones, which are connected to the ground floor via an amphitheater. A vertical void passes through open - plan reading areas for adults and the youth, a specialized zone and international literature, creating spatial continuity. The escalators cascade in the vertical void; the stairs along the facade emphasize the dynamics and create the perception for a live, busy public space in a southern town. We would like to interweave the contemporary vision of the future with a romantic memory of classical literature. This creates a feeling of intrigue, suspense and collision, like a shark emerging from the water depths in a Hemingway novel.

FEASIBILITY, TECHNOLOGY AND ENERGY-EFFICIENCY
After consulting with the capital’s subway specialists, we were clearly assured that constructions, deeper than four meters under the sea level, don’t lead to any additional technological difficulties in comparison to construction at the established four meters. Therefore we designed more than three underground levels. The glazed roof which shelters the cascade of reading zones, creates the effect of a “solar chimney”, used for energy savings during all seasons. In summertime, the rising hot air generates a vertical stream, which ventilates the connected space of the reading rooms and the lobby through open hatches in the roof and sucks in fresh air at the ground floor. In winter time, the greenhouse effect heats up the air that can be redirected to through the floors. In this way significant energy savings for ventilation and heating are achieved. The “dog-ear” - folded glazed roof combines triple glass and a layer of semi-transparent foil with printed zeros and ones. Besides the sun protection, is also creates an interesting play of lights and shades, which appears in the interior and can also be seen from bird’s view. The glazed roof could accommodate photo-voltaic glass panels. The elevations are treated with vertical lamelas, resembling shelves, full of books.

 

We believe that the new library will become the cultural epicenter of Varna, a favorite place for young people and adults in an attractive and active urban setting. Hopefully these features will guarantee a successful emerging of a new, lively and interesting architectural organism in the existing urban fabric of Varna.

Build area 2 905mBuild 905m2
Total areas above ground: 10 563m2
Total area under ground: 18 356m2
Height: 29m
Total green area 1 361m2
Parking places 309