The Albert Pérez Baró Library is located in the Montbau housing estate. It was founded in the 1980s by the neighbours themselves as a popular library. Initially it occupied two of three former school buildings which had been constructed in the 1950s during the first phase of the estate. The passage of time and successive modernisation and extension programmes, which had often been barely integrated into the whole, had left the building in a state of considerable deterioration.

© José Hevia

Architects: OliverasBoix Arquitectes

Location: Carrer de l'Arquitectura, 8, 08035 Barcelona, Spain

Area: 840.0 m2

Project Year: 2015

Photographs: José Hevia
© José Hevia

From the architect. The Albert Pérez Baró Library is located in the Montbau housing estate. It was founded in the 1980s by the neighbours themselves as a popular library. Initially it occupied two of three former school buildings which had been constructed in the 1950s during the first phase of the estate. The passage of time and successive modernisation and extension programmes, which had often been barely integrated into the whole, had left the building in a state of considerable deterioration.

© José Hevia

The project was based on the need to extend and modernise the library with two approaches up for consideration. 1. Demolis...