Holcim Awards 2005 – Latin America – Encouragement

Library in accordance with sustainability guidelines, Medellín, Colombia

Type of project:
Architecture (Education)

Start of construction:
not foreseen

Principal author:
Daniel Londoño, independent architect, Sydney, Australia

Comment of the Holcim Awards 2005 Jury for Latin America
The project is commended for advancing a strong tectonic initiative that promotes the particularities of the culture and significantly contributes to improving the degree of ethical standards and social equity in the region. The proposed use of indigenous materials is a commendable measure for considerably lowering implementation costs and for stimulating the local economy. Energy conservation and thermal comfort for the users is achieved by a competent use of passive design, which includes such features as a double skin roof and walls.

Also contributing to the performative efficiency of the building is the situational strategy that takes advantage of solar heating throughout the year. The scheme promises to make a beneficial impact on the surrounding context, raising awareness of the potential of sustainable construction while providing an aesthetically refined social attractor.

It is convincing in the measures taken to increase cost efficiency and proves that conventional standards of durability need not limit formal attractivity or finesse. The work is successful in giving lucid, material expression to environmental forces and also serves to display the latent capacities inherent to vernacular techniques of construction.