Biblioteca Antonio Tiraboschi - Bergamo
The Antonio Tiraboschi Public Library in Bergamo, opened in 2002 and designed by the renowned Swiss architect Mario Botta, represents a perfect blend of geometric grandeur and contemporary functionality, and is conceived as a true ‘cultural square’ open to the city. The building presents itself as an imposing, square and compact structure, clad entirely in the typical exposed red brick, punctuated and lightened by large geometric windows.
Once inside, the apparent heaviness of the external masonry gives way to a surprisingly airy, bright and dynamic space. The beating heart of the interior is the large, full-height central atrium: an immense zenithal skylight that towers over the building, flooding all five floors of the library with natural light.
The interior spaces are arranged in a ring around this central void, connected by a dramatic system of open galleries, staircases and walkways. This layout ensures complete visual permeability: from every point in the library, one can take in the entirety of the space and the silent movement of people. The materials chosen for the interior fit-out reflect the functionality of the space: the grey of the concrete and metal structures blends with the light wood of the long reading tables and bookshelves, whilst specially treated floors dampen footfall to preserve the silence. The hundreds of study spaces, arranged both along the perimeter of the external windows overlooking the city and around the inner courtyard, offer an ideal study environment, striking a balance between quiet concentration and a sense of community.
This refined balance between volume and light is enhanced by the choice of seating, which also blends seamlessly into the overall design of the building: these are the famous Juliette chairs, designed in 1987 by Hannes Wettstein for Baleri Italia. Icons of postmodern minimalism, these chairs are placed in the study rooms and along the balconies like light pencil strokes in the space: their slender structure fits perfectly into the environment without weighing it down visually, allowing the monumentality of the red bricks and the void of the atrium to remain the true protagonists.
Juliette is not merely an aesthetic choice but fulfils a specific practical need. The gently curved backrest cradles the body, ensuring optimal postural comfort during long hours of research and reading, whilst its stackability complements the flexible nature of a modern library. Designer furniture thus ceases to be a mere ornamental detail and becomes the tool that connects the user to the architecture of the space, transforming the daily visit to the study into a genuine experience of design and pervasive beauty.
