Children’s Library

The Italo Calvino Library – a lively space inside the Hotel de Gallifet in Paris, part of the Italian Cultural Institute – has been extended and enriched by a small yet innovative space dedicated to childhood.

Designed by LAPS Architecture, a young French-Italian architecture studio, the Bibliothèque des Enfants has been fabricated by “MYOP-Make Your Own Path”, a Sicilian company specialised in mixing new instruments – parametric softwares and digital fabrication tools – with a long tradition and artisanal quality.

The Bibliothèque des Enfants is one of those lucky cases where client, architects and makers work together sharing the same vision to achieve a common goal. Marina Valensise, director of the Italian Cultural Institute pursues her strategy to actively promote young architects and designers. In this case, LAPS Architecture was invited to transform a space previously not particularly characterised into an intense and vibrant space where children can read and discover. The encounter of the architecture office associates – Fabienne Louyot, Salvator-John A.Liotta and Gaia Patti –, with MYOP – a Sicilian start-up company that collects together different working realities that wish to use innovation as a means to move away from the current economic crisis – have brought to life many experimental projects among which is the modular and flexible system, “X.me”: realised without a single nail, it can be disassembled, also it is reversible and recyclable.

Imbued of a delicate aesthetic rhythm, this new interior architecture offers the possibility to introduce to a broader public the philosophy and products of MYOP – Make Your Own Path and a selection of works of LAPS Architecture office. Opened at the end of the ‘50s, the Library Italo Calvino, directed by Francesco Scaglione, owns over 50,000 volumes, resulting the largest one among the network of the Italian cultural institutes. The Bibliothèque des Enfants offers over 650 books for kids and teenagers. With this project, the Italian Cultural Institute in Paris develops international relationships, invests in young French-Italian talents, and promotes a start-up that looks at the future with courage and a passion for innovation.

Kids Library, Italo Calvino Library extension Hotel De Galliffet, Italian Cultural Institut, Paris
Architects: LAPS Architecture (Fabienne Louyot, Salvator-John A. Liotta, Gaia Patti)
Client: Istituto Italiano di Cultura, direttrice Marina Valensise
Components fabrication, development and engineering: MYOP-Make Your Own Path
Photos: Massimiliano Camaiti, Jocelyn Le Creuer, Riccardo Scibetta
Completion: 2014