BCN.Reset BARCELONA 2014 UNBOUND: The Library of Lost Books Theme: Liberty Architect: Anupama Kundoo In Collaboration with: IAAC, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Barcelona International collaborators: MIT, Cambridge / UQ, Queensland / TU, Berlin Site Location: Placa Salvador Segui adjacent to Filmoteca de Catalunya et View Associated Mobile Structures Time schedule Participation Seating April 23: San Jordi, ground-breaking, setting out plan on site May 10: Completion of the detailed drawings and detail cost-estimates May 30: Completion of building elements and some assemblies at Fablab IaaC June 9: Completion of construction at the Placa Salvador Sequi June 10: Preview for invitees June 11: Open to public Architect: Anupama Kundoo In collaboration with: IaaC, Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia, Barcelona Project Development: IaaC, Barcelona - Areti Markopoulou, Silvia Brandi Project Assistance: IaaC, Barcelona - Stefanos Levidis / UQ Queensland - Ali Dabirian Fabricaton: Fab Lab, Barcelona - Anastasia Pistofidou, Alexandre Dubor International collaborators: UQ, Queensland and MIT, Cambridge Structural design concept: Mike Schlaich with TU, Berlin Lighting: LAMP or IGUZZINI Film program: Filmoteca de Catalunya Curator: Esteban Riambau, Director of the Filmoteca de Catalunya, and Xavier García Puerto Sourcing of old books: Carme Fenoll, Director General, Cap del Servei de Biblioteques, Generalitat de Catalunya Book exchange: Coque - Bar Freedonia, representative of Raval Cultural Bar Association Reading program: Pepe Ros - ViVIM DEL CUENTO Social integration in Raval: Sergio Ros Primary School Participation: Marta Rodger, Director, SEK International School Urban furniture will be integrated after agreement with the authorities. The furniture will be lightweight and could be stored in the Filmoteca or bar beside it as per agreements made in the case that they are not accepted as built structures. Currently there are 6 seats adjacent to the playground facing the square. Similarly some seating space will greatly enhance the ‘live reading program’ in the square and help ‘transform’ the mood of the neighborhood in a positive direction. Shelves/Carts A mobile vehicle for facilitating ‘free-exchange’ of books that can be stored in the Filmoteca space 9where it can continue as a space of ‘free-exchange’ of books by the visitors of the Filmoteca) so as to secure the furniture and the books from vandalism. et ViewProject Description Conceptual Description Technical Description The ‘Library of Lost Books’ is a bookless library with a live program of reading. The focus is on the content of the book and the act of reading. ‘Unbound’ a term that relates to the description of books, also expresses liberty and the idea of plenty, of limitlessness. 4 canopy structures of different sizes and of varying heights, called ‘trees’, shade the existing square of Salvador Sequi through a central supports each. The trees are constructed out of wooden poles, 150 cm in length and of a rectangular section of 5 cm x 7cm. About 800 wooden poles are used, and attached to each other with customizable joints that will be milled robotically within the facilities of FabLab Barcelona, in IaaC. The structure reaches a maximum height of 9 meters and width of 40 meters, roughly, depending on various assembly logistics. The theme ‘liberty’ is expressed through creating a place that celebrates ‘reading’, a place that symbolizes an expression of freedom, as a place where knowledge is free. Knowledge is empowerment, and knowledge will lead to progress and freedom. This is appropriately expressed as an ‘outdoor’ place under the ‘shade of trees’ where everybody has a good memory of having read a good book in the sense of freedom, free from the confines of walls of buildings. Yet, books ‘the building blocks’ of society are facing extinction. Transition/evolution in the ‘form’ of the book through time has led to books becoming lighter, losing their materiality, now often only virtual. However the act of ‘reading’ continues. Books, as beings in transit, pass through the hands of many readers as in libraries, rather than sitting on shelves of owners, or still with publishers. ‘Obsolete’ books locked in storage about to face their end, are rescued from pulping, brought back in circulation, and liberated, and available for free exchange. ‘Obsolete’ books will be recycled as a construction material, to build a canopy which will give shade to those who engage in ‘reading’ and ‘listening to stories told aloud’ or those engaged in ‘freely exchanging’ books without exchanging money. After dismantling, the books used to construct the canopy will be available to the public as a souvenir commemorating the event. Liberation is lightness. These are light-weight structures for heavyweight books that transcend the sense of ‘weight’ to focus the perception on of the ‘light’ element of the book: content. Books made of paper are at the environmental cost of trees. Recycled books are used to reconstruct trees as a symbol of the acknowledgement of these resources to create an open-air library for ‘reading’. Although the four trees have different heights, the lowest branches are never reachable by the people standing in the square, preventing them from climbing on the structure. The wooden sticks are treated with an anti-inflammable paint. The trees are self-supporting, taking advantage of a wide base, constructed out of the same wooden elements, that stabilizes the tree. Connecting the branches at the canopy level also increases the stability. Hence, no fixation on the ground or at the façades is needed. A "canopy" of books is formed, with book modules interlocking together to create a component-made membrane, which in turn, is attached to the wooden structure, using cable wire. In order for books to be protected from external agents, they are wrapped in recycled plastic using the techniques of vacuum forming and vacuum packaging, and clipped together with metallic elements. Both the tree structure and the books canopy are fabricated and pre-assembled in FabLab Barcelona. They are transported on site in large sections in order to improve the precision in fabrication and reduce the time of assembly. The construction is self-managed, through the integration of hand-made and machine-made and robotic elements. Program 1. Reading and listening to stories read out loud in many languages including those of the immigrant local inhabitants of the neighbourhood. These are managed through recordings of interviews that are played back through speakers on the tree structures, and through organised events where actual reading takes place by volonteers and invited guests, authors, publishers and those interested. Children will be at the center of the program that is planned with special readings organised for them. Children will read to others, and adults will read to children. 2. Free exchange of books among city inhabitants in the organised open-market sessions. There will be no money exchange, just ‘free exchange’ among people strengthening community. 3. Screening of special films centred around reading through the involvement of the Filmoteca, such as ‘The Dead Poets Society’ or ‘La Tete en Friche (My Afternoons With Margueritte)’ 4. Discussions through Seminar/panel sessions organised in the Filmoteca in relation to the films screened. et ViewPlan 1:500 15 m 11 m et ViewSide Section 1:200 9.5m 6.7m Street View et ViewThe Book Component 3 1 1.1 The proposed component/ book container Proposed techniques for the protection of the books include vacuum forming (1) and vacuum packing (2) 2 et ViewThe Wooden Structure Front View Side View The component, composed of four wooden poles, of 150 cm length and a section of 5 x 7 cm. Around 800 components will be used for the construction of the pavilion Eye-level view Top: Concept model Middle: Kengo Kuma, Starbucks Bottom: Arne Quinze