Biblioteca Viva Biobío was the first library that our office worked with using the concept of “The home of the book”, where we sought to link libraries to a more domestic atmosphere. In this series, the interior design of each library varies according to the culture of its surroundings, depending on the region of the country where it is located.

The material basis chosen for this project was pine, taking into account the logging region in which it is situated. Pine was utilized in different ways: as shelves, facades, and architectural forms, creating different instances that recall the sensation of being inside a home. We fought the idea of a library being distant, or a place where the librarian is the first barrier between the visitor and the book. Guided by this concept, we created spaces that were similar to a living room or den of a home, where the books would be within reach for whoever wanted to pick them up. There are also sofas, cushions, and tables for reading, alluding to other household elements. Given these decisions, studying inside the library becomes a recognizable and homey experience, which effectively created longer visits for children, young people, and adults in this interior.