Biblioteca Viva Los Domínicos was the third library that our office worked on using the concept of “The home of the book”, seeking to create a relation between libraries and 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. In this opportunity, taking into account that the space is situated in the center of Santiago, and seeking to salvage its urban character, the main material chosen was metal painted in different colors, utilized in various ways: as shelves, facades, and architectural structures.

Through a unique repeated model — in this case, a cube — a new interior was configured within a food court, creating a space within a space.

In this project series, we sought to combat the idea that libraries are distant, or a place where the librarian is the first barrier between the visitor and the book. This is why books are within reach for anyone who wants to pick them up, and there are sofas, cushions, and tables for reading, alluding to household elements. Given these decisions, studying inside the library becomes a recognizable and homey experience, which makes for a longer stay for children, young people, and adults in this interior.