This is one of Barcelona’s strongest modern examples of a public “third place”. Designed by the Spanish office SUMA Arquitectura and built around a timber (wooden) structural system, it pairs a warm, domestic material language with a very civic programme. In 2023, it won the IFLA Public Library of the Year award, not because it looks good, but because it functions exceptionally well as a community hub. What makes it interesting from an urban planning perspective is its role as social infrastructure. It is a free, welcoming indoor space where people can study, bring kids, attend events, or sim…
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