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Squares, streets and public spaces
Square. Street. Public Space
The new section of Magí Fàbrega Street is conceived as a square – both the entrance foyer of the new library and the gateway to the “Pla de les Hortes”. This is a public space for people to gather and communicate. Through repetition and order, the project proposes an architecture that rejects unnecessary gestures and puts citizens and how they use space at its core. The architecture recognizes and highlights the existing physical, historical heritage and cultural elements of the site, blends into the environment, allows people to use the place together and build a sense of belonging.
▼gooood’s self-made 2-minute introduction video, Introduction video
Conceive the new section of Magí Fàbrega Street as a square—the entrance hall to the new library and the gateway to the “Pla de les hortes.” A public space for gathering and meeting. Through repetition and pattern, this project proposes an architecture that eschews gratuitous gestures, one in which the focus is on the citizen and the ways in which they use the space. It is an architecture that recognizes and highlights existing physical, heritage, and cultural elements, integrating itself into the context and fostering the collective appropriation of the place.
▼Building exterior overview, Building exterior overview © José Hevia
▼Facade facing the plaza, Facade facing the plaza © José Hevia
▼Street-facing facade © José Hevia
background
Backdrop
A façade composed of large vertical latticework emphasizes the building’s character as a public facility and forms the backdrop for the new plaza. The ground floor organizes the functions in a clear and efficient way, directly linking the café with the exhibition space, auditorium and square, while introducing views of the “Pla de les Hortes”.
▼Collage of site photos and early plans,
Site photograph and early design collection © Javier de las Heras Solé
A facade of large vertical slats signals its character as a public facility and forms a backdrop for the new plaza. The ground floor organizes the program clearly and effectively, placing the café in direct relation to the exhibition space—the auditorium—the plaza, and with views of the “Pla de les Hortes.”
▼Facade of large vertical slats © José Hevia
▼Facade close view © José Hevia
▼Grille details, Slat detail © José Hevia
vegetable garden landscape
Pla de les Hortes
This is the name of the Surya vegetable garden. Together with the “Pla de Reguant” it forms a set of natural and landscape elements representing riparian woodland and agricultural gardens, which are of great significance to the city and the entire Cardener Valley.
This is the name given to the Súria vegetable garden. Together with the “Pla de Reguant,” they form a group of natural and landscape features representative of the riparian forest and agricultural garden, which are of prime importance to the municipality and the entire Cardener Valley.
▼Library seen across the gardens © José Hevia
▼Library seen along a garden path towards the library © José Hevia
▼Building and vegetable gardens, Library and gardens © José Hevia
General layout
Site Plan
Starting from the trapezoidal plot formed by urban planning regulations, the plan establishes a strictly orthogonal layout based on the axis perpendicular to Magí Fàbrega Street, forming a clear and coherent structure to organize the space and define the building volume. The building is presented as a compact volume with a continuous roofline at an elevation of +13.70 meters, designed to blend into the urban context and remain continuous with the silhouette of the adjacent residential buildings. The building’s functions are distributed on the ground floor and the two floors above. The ground floor houses the cultural center and community space, while the upper two floors house the library. Different functions have their own entrances: the entrance to the library and café is from Magí Fàbrega Street, while the cultural center and community space are entered from Pius i Macià Street.
▼Function and space exploded view,
Exploded program and spatial diagram © Javier de las Heras Solé
The proposal is based on the trapezoidal geometry of the lot resulting from the urban planning regulations. Through a layout based on strict orthogonality, with an axis perpendicular to Magí Fàbrega Street, a clear and coherent structure is established that organizes the spaces and defines the building’s volumetry. The building is configured as a compact volume, with a continuous roofline at +13.70 m, designed to blend into the urban environment and maintain continuity with the profile of the adjacent residential building. The program is distributed across the ground floor and two upper floors. The ground floor houses the Cultural Center and the community space, while the two upper floors are dedicated to the library. Entrances are differentiated according to use: the library and the café are located on Magí Fàbrega Street, and the Cultural Center and the community space are accessed from Pius i Macià Street.
▼Entrance viewing towards interior © José Hevia
Functional layout
Program
Ground floor
Ground Floor
The ground floor is conceived as the level where the building interacts directly with the public space. The plan creates a new square connected to Magí Fàbrega Street, which serves as a gathering place and an extension of the library, cultural center and community activities. The library and café can be accessed from the square. The entrance on Pius i Macià Street leads to the cultural center. The exhibition hall also serves as the front hall of the multi-functional hall; the multi-functional hall is equipped with movable partitions and can be divided into two spaces. Technical control rooms, toilets and building equipment spaces further complete the layout on this floor.
The ground floor is conceived as the level of direct interaction between the building and public space. The proposal incorporates a new plaza connected to Magí Fàbrega Street, designed as a gathering space and an extension of the activities of the library, the Cultural Center, and community initiatives. The library and the café are accessed from this plaza. Access from Pius i Macià Street leads to the Cultural Center, which features an exhibition hall that serves as the foyer for the multipurpose hall, equipped with movable partitions that allow it to be divided into two spaces. The layout is completed by a technical control room, restrooms, and spaces for the building’s utilities.
▼Staircase and entrance space, Staircase and entrance space © José Hevia
▼Stair detail, Stair detail © José Hevia
Second floor
First Floor
The second floor accommodates the main functions of the library: reception and promotion area, comprehensive reading area, children’s area and internal work space. Internal courtyards organize the space, bring in natural light, and serve as visual references to help users orient themselves. Stairs arranged along the perimeter connect each floor, strengthening the overall spatial continuity of the building.
The first floor houses the library’s main areas: reception and promotion, the general reading area, the children’s section, and internal workspaces. An interior courtyard organizes the layout, allows natural light to enter, and serves as a visual reference point that helps users find their way. A perimeter staircase connects the different levels and reinforces the spatial continuity of the complex.
▼Circulation around the courtyard © José Hevia
▼Courtyard connecting the levels © José Hevia
▼Upward view of stairs and daylight, Upward view of stairs and daylight © José Hevia
Next to the information desk, a full-height space is connected to the facade on the Pius i Macià street side, emphasizing the nature of the public facility and visually connecting the two floors of the library. The children’s area has a terrace facing the new square, providing extended outdoor space for reading and play activities.
Adjacent to the information desk, a double-height space connected to the façade on Pius i Macià Street emphasizes the facility’s public character and visually connects both floors. The children’s area features a terrace opening onto the new plaza, designed as an outdoor extension for reading and play activities.
▼Double-height space and staircase, Double-height space and staircase © José Hevia
▼Open space in natural light, Open space in natural light © José Hevia
third floor
Second Floor
The third floor complements the functions of the library, and continues to use the courtyard as the core of spatial organization, lighting and direction identification. A staircase leading to this floor connects the full-height space, ensuring continuity between the two levels. This floor houses a small reception and promotion area, a spacious comprehensive consultation and reading area, and internal work areas. The layout enables a clear distribution of functions and always maintains a visual connection with the central space.
The second floor completes the library’s program and retains the courtyard as the central element for organization, lighting, and orientation. Access is via the staircase connected to the double-height space, ensuring continuity between the two floors. The program is distributed across a small reception and promotional area, a spacious general area for reference and reading, and an internal work area. The layout promotes a clear distribution and a constant visual connection with the central space.
▼Space along the facade, Space along the facade © José Hevia
▼Space beside the windows © José Hevia
▼Timber enclosure detail, Timber enclosure detail © José Hevia
▼Window detail, Window detail © José Hevia
roof layer
Roof Level
The roof is used to arrange technical equipment, mainly HVAC equipment, while photovoltaic panels and green space are reserved.
The roof is designated for technical installations, primarily HVAC equipment, and includes space for photovoltaic panels and a landscaped area.
▼Building night view, Building night view © José Hevia
▼Main facade night view © José Hevia
▼Facade close view at night © José Hevia
▼Facade of large vertical slats night view, Facade of large vertical slats night view © José Hevia
▼Ground-floor and plaza plan © Javier de las Heras Solé
▼First-floor plan © Javier de las Heras Solé
▼Three-floor plan, Second-floor plan © Javier de las Heras Solé
▼Plaza elevation and sectional elevation © Javier de las Heras Solé
▼Elevations © Javier de las Heras Solé
▼Cross section, Sections © Javier de las Heras Solé
Competition Result/Result: First Prize/1st Prize in the Competition
Designer: Javier de las Heras Solé, architect
Collaborators: Salvador Bou Gracia, architect; Gerard Codina i Mas, technical architect
Organizing Entity: Súria City Council
Phase 1/Phase 1: November 2021/November 2021
5 teams/5 teams: Category A: 3 selected based on portfolio—built libraries; Category B: 2 selected based on graphic proposal
Phase 2/Phase 2: May 2022/May 2022
Category A: Josep Llinàs, Subirà, Rojo, Bouman; Manel Brullet – Alfonso de Luna; Feu-Godoy arquitectes
Category B: D. Gomez and S. Vives; Javier de las Heras Solé
Judge/Jury:
Jaume Espinal Farré, Municipal Architect, Súria City Council
Imma Sabater Estaytega, Architect, Library Architecture Unit, Barcelona Provincial Council
Albert Pla Gispert, Architect appointed by the COAC
Carolina Beuter Sánchez–Villanueva, Architect appointed by the COAC
David Baena Asencio, architect appointed by the COAC
David Santisteban Ucles, architect appointed by the COAC
Project/Project: Súria Library/Súria Library
Location: Súria, Spain
Start/Start: 2024
Completion/Completion: 2026
Project Management: Javier de las Heras Solé, Architect
Construction Management: Josep Malgosa Morera, technical architect
Structural Engineering: Eskubi Turró, Architects
Mechanical and Electrical Systems: AIA Instal·lacions arquitectòniques; Cristian González, architect
Developer: Súria City Council; Sílvia Obiols, technical architect
Contractor: Garcia Riera SL; Gemma Garcia, site manager
Photography/Photography: José Hevia
Email/Email: jdelasheras@coac.net
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