The redevelopment of currently unused spaces located along the lower promenade of the Rozzol-Melara complex, and their conversion into a newspaper library (hemeroteca) and neighbourhood library, is part of a broader and more structured programme within the “Extraordinary Urban Regeneration and Suburban Safety Programme for the city of Trieste – Rozzol-Melara area (PRiUS)”.
The aim of the project is the recovery and refurbishment of an existing, currently unused space within a wider system of premises distributed along the internal walkways, which in the original concept of the district were intended to serve as places for social interaction.
The creation of a library/hemeroteca restores the original intention of the designers for these internal spaces, and is therefore conceived not only as a place for the provision of books and documents, but also as a meeting point and space for social exchange.
Upon completion, the building will include:
Reading and consultation / hemeroteca areas located within double-height spaces;
Areas dedicated to young people (6–14 years old) on the ground floor, with staff station;
Areas dedicated to children (0–6 years old) on the first floor, with staff station;
Modular storage areas for books and collections;
Outdoor areas (terraces) usable for events.
The project is particularly significant both for the adaptive reuse of an existing building — achievable through a relatively light renovation — and for the recovery of part of a structure aligned with the original vision of its designers (spaces for gathering), reinterpreted according to a contemporary understanding of the urban context.
The refurbishment was carried out with particular attention to environmental comfort, as well as functionality and safety. The concept of environmental well-being at the core of the project responds not only to the needs of users but also to those of the staff who will share the library’s spaces and volumes on a daily basis. Special attention has been given to the modularity of interior spaces, their spatial configuration, and the quality of indoor comfort in terms of air, light, and thermal conditions.
