There has been much talk about the construction of a large state public library in Barcelona, although little progress has been made in its realization since the first declaration of intent was signed, no less, at the end of the nineties. After many comings and goings, the project will begin to show its first movements this year. The Government will tender in March the demolition of a disused building located on the left side of the Estación de França, where the cultural facility will have to be erected, which will also occupy the adjacent parking lot and plot.
The Ministry of Culture plans to start the works next summer. In statements to The New Barcelona Post, the general director of Books of the Ministry of Culture, María José Gálvez, points out that these works will last until the end of the year, with an eye on early 2023 for the start of the works of the future provincial library, characterized by state ownership and regional management. This means that the construction of the building corresponds to the Government, while the Generalitat will be the one to decide what collection it will have and how the service will be provided. The Barcelona City Council has been the one that has ceded the plots on which it will be built.
The architectural project that will begin to be built next year, with the forecast of finishing the works in 2027, was approved in 2010 and was conceived by the Nitidus studio, led by Josep Maria Miró. As it had been in a drawer for years, these months are also serving to update it. "It is an adaptation that we wanted to be non-invasive," explains Gálvez. Regulatory changes in issues such as sustainability or accessibility will be incorporated, as well as the new urban configuration of the area.
The architectural project that will begin to be built next year, with the forecast of finishing the works in 2027, was approved in 2010 and was conceived by the Nitidus studio, led by Josep Maria MiróThese last revisions should not delay a project that has been dragging on since 1997, the date on which the three administrations involved signed the first declaration of intent. The chosen location was the old Born market, but with the start of the works, remains of the 1714 city were found and the project was paralyzed.This was followed by a dance of new destinations and they ended up opting for a space next to the Estación de França.
After many delays and setbacks, the Ministry of Culture, first with José Manuel Rodríguez Uribes and then with Miquel Iceta, have set the completion of this project as a priority. "In this legislature, we were very clear that we wanted to promote and undertake this project," emphasizes Gálvez. Barcelona is one of the few provincial capitals in Spain that does not have a public library, which number over fifty throughout the country. According to Gálvez, Barcelona's will be the largest of all provincial libraries. "Barcelona is not just any city. It is a literary city by Unesco and has connections with the world of publishing and literary creation that position it as such," he adds.
The Government will allocate a total of 40 million euros until the launch of this project, of which it has already invested one million euros. "Now there is no turning back," insists Gálvez. This commitment from the central Executive translated into resuming the project together with the Generalitat and the City Council, meeting again for the first time since 2014. So far, they have met twice and the next meeting is expected in March.
Alongside the architectural update, the library project also needs to be reviewed, taking into account that cultural needs have changed a lot since 2010. The head of the Servei de Biblioteques of the Departament de Cultura, Sílvia Sanahuja, explains to The New Barcelona Post that "there will not be major changes" and issues such as more multipurpose spaces will be incorporated, allowing the facility to adapt to multiple uses, moving away from the traditional image of a library, where one goes to look for books, study, and little else. "It has to be a reference cultural facility and many things have to happen," she emphasizes, hosting multiple activities, such as book presentations, workshops, or recitals. Sanahuja, who comes, precisely, from directing the public library of Girona, points out that there is still much to define other issues, such as its name, whether it will be themed, or how it will be organized.