Location: Gourdon, France.

Architect: CoCo architecture.

The Gourdon municipal library in France is being redeveloped to use the entire building, including an empty apartment on the first floor, to extend the library and offer direct access to 30,000 books. However, the available surface area is only 500m² over three levels, while 900m² is needed for storage. To solve this problem, the library will use the vertical surfaces of the existing walls to store books, freeing up space in the center for other uses. The 30,000 works will be separated into two zones, with 15,000 accessible works arranged on free walls and the other 15,000 in an underground storage area. The children’s space will be located in a separate volume to the south. All intermediate floors have been removed within the main body of the library, and the walls are covered in full-height shelves. The interior layout has been extensively studied, from the shelving to the furniture, with white or rough materials used for amenities and bright colors for furniture.

Photo credit: CoCo architecture.