Designed by SUMA Arquitectura, the Gabriel García Márquez Library in Barcelona, Spain, adapts its shape to the dense environment in which it is located, proposing in small the typical square block with chamfered corners (which then becomes an octagon) with which Ildefonso Cerdá revolutionized the city in the nineteenth century.

The building looks like a sculptural solid, placed on a raised square and organized around a large triangular courtyard, with a staircase that connects all the program uses. This large void allows natural light to reach the library, also acting as a “solar chimney”. Along the white volume there are four slits that direct the gaze towards the main points of attraction of the surrounding environment.

The interior is characterized by a relaxing and welcoming atmosphere, thanks also to the use of wood. The library, in fact, wants to look like a stack of open books, with folded and perforated pages. Each “book” is created by a structure of wood panels oriented in different directions, defined by structural needs, lighting conditions, functional program and urban connections.