OMGEVING aligns zoersel's public library with the belgian streetscape

OMGEVING aligns zoersel’s public library with the belgian streetscape
image © yannick milpas
all images courtesy of OMGEVING

in belgium, local practice OMGEVING has completed a new public library in the municipality of zoersel, part of the town center’s ongoing redevelopment. standing among typical terraced houses, the architects were careful not to disturb the existing urban fabric.

raw and glazed black brick was chosen for the façade
image © yannick milpas

with this in mind, the volume of the building appears to be subdivided into smaller sections that better reflect the local typology: each volume has its own roof profile, and consequently its own identity. internally, the subdivisions are removed and the library takes on its larger functional scale.

the architects were careful not to disturb the existing urban fabric
image © yannick milpas

‘the scheme was an exercise on the perception of scale,’ explains the design team. ‘the outcome of the library’s design follows from an attempt to balance the large scale function of a public institution and the small scale context of the town itself.’

elevations are complemented with a dark anthra-zinc roof
image © yannick milpas

in terms of materials, a custom selection of standard, raw and glazed black brick was chosen for the façade, complemented with a dark anthra-zinc roof. the interior is painted in a sober white, accented by the exposed wooden ceiling structure. custom-designed furniture is placed throughout the library at designated areas.

the scheme was conceived as an exercise in the perception of scale
image © yannick milpas

from an environmental standpoint, high standard building insulation and solar panels enable the building to reach a k-value of 31. displacement ventilation is used during the day, while natural ventilation occurs at night. rainwater is stored and reused for flushing toilets.

the interior is painted in a sober white, accented by the exposed wooden ceiling structure
image © yannick milpas

custom-designed furniture is placed at designated areas
image © yannick milpas

interior spaces are brightly and naturally lit
image © yannick milpas

a private reading area within the library
image © yannick milpas

rainwater is stored and reused for flushing toilets
image © yannick milpas

each volume has its own roof profile, and consequently its own identity
image © yannick milpas

project info:

name: bibliotheek zoersel
address: dorp 50, 2980 zoersel, belgium
client: de linde vastgoed nv under the commission of the municipality of zoersel
architects: OMGEVING architecture
interior & furniture design: OMGEVING architecture
architectural project team: evy depauw, karol grygolec, kaat balcaen, tristan verleyen, otsoe verdonckt
landscape project team: luc wallays, peter seynaeve, koen moelants, steven petit,
civil engineers: arcadis
contractor: van roey nv
photography: yannick milpas
construction period: august 2013 – november 2014

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edited by: philip stevens | designboom