Architectural Scholar

Monday, May 12, 2008

Biblioteca Parque Espana - Giancarlo Mazzanti

Giancarlo Mazzanti - Biblioteca Parque Espana (Photographer: Sergio Gomez)

This building, casually known as the Rocks, is located in Medellin Columbia. It is a great example how an architectural icon can take on, and infiltrate, an environment with a strong cultural connection and local architectural typology.

The architect Giancarlo Mazzanti creates public space by offsetting three monumental cubes along the narrow hillside site. The facade is made up by arrogating several different types of stones with different colors and shapes to create a massive uniform quality when viewed from afar, but very dynamic and alive when viewed up close. Windows penetrate the stones giving the monumental volumes a light and porous quality when lit at night.

One thing that strikes me as being a bit odd is the colored glazing along the base condition of the building. Why lighten up the building at the point where it meets terra firma?...just my personal opinion. Otherwise, great building.

Images via (Eikongraphia)