Spain Library (Medellín)

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Spain Library Park
Type Public library
Location Santo Domingo, Medellín, Antioquia, Colombia
Coordinates 6°17′41″N 75°32′19″W / 6.29472°N 75.53861°W / 6.29472; -75.53861Coordinates: 6°17′41″N 75°32′19″W / 6.29472°N 75.53861°W / 6.29472; -75.53861

Spain Library Park (Parque Biblioteca España) is a library park located in the Santo Domingo neighborhood of Medellín, Colombia. It is named after the country of Spain, whose government helped fund the project.[1]

The library is noted for its architecture. Its three buildings are meant to resemble black stones that are illuminated at night. In 2008, the library park won an award for best architecture of the year in Lisbon.[2] The library was designed by Giancarlo Mazzanti, who earlier designed the León de Greiff Library in Colombia.

The library is one of the five new libraries constructed as part of Medellin's redevelopment efforts. Architects of other libraries added as part of the program include Ricardo La Rotta Caballero and Hiroshi Naito. Situated on a hillside above Medellin, the library can be seen from Metrocable cable cars.[3] It is located in the Santo Domingo neighborhood, in the northwest of Medellin.[4]

The other libraries added as part of the city's education development program and redevelopment efforts include León de Greiff Library, San Javier Library, Bethlehem Library, and La Quintana Library. After the initial 2009 program another five libraries were added to the plan for 2011. These libraries are the Parque Biblioteca Doce de Octubre for Comunas 5 and 6, Noroccidente; Parque Biblioteca Las Estancias for Comunas 8, 9, and Centroriental; Parque Biblioteca Guayabal for Comuna 15 and Suroccidente; Parque Biblioteca San Cristóbal for Corregimiento and Occidente; and Parque Biblioteca San Antonio de Prado for Corregimiento and Sur.[5]

Giancarlo Mazzanti also designed the Parque Biblioteca Leon de Greiff

History

At the end of the 20th century, the barrio Santo Domingo was considered one of the most dangerous places in Latin America.[6] As late as 2003, the people were not allowed to stay on the streets after 5 p.m. and the area was controlled at night by urban militias.

Integral Urban Project

The Integral Urban Project (PUI) was a city initiative to improve infrastructure in the poorest two zones in the north-west. A scheme for five Library parks was planned, the most famous of which is the Spain Library. The other libraries added as part of the city's education development program and redevelopment efforts include La Ladera Library, San Javier Library, Belén Library, and La Quintana Library.

After the initial 2009 program another five libraries were added to the plan for 2011, for a total of ten library parks. These other libraries are the Doce de Octubre Library, Las Estancias Library, Guayabal Library, San Cristóbal Library,and San Antonio de Prado Library.

References

  1. ↑ Michael J. LaRosa; Germán R. Mejía (5 April 2012). Colombia: A Concise Contemporary History. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 244–. ISBN 978-1-4422-0937-4. Retrieved 16 August 2013. 
  2. ↑ Luis Fernando González Escobar (2010). Ciudad y arquitectura urbana en Colombia 1980-2010. Universidad de Antioquia. pp. 226–. ISBN 978-958-714-382-9. Retrieved 16 August 2013. 
  3. ↑ Americalate, fotografía nocturna del Parque Biblioteca España
  4. ↑ Americalate, Medellín, una ciudad que busca reposicionarse
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ Lucy Bullivant (12 November 2012). Masterplanning Futures BULLIVANT. Routledge. pp. 122–. ISBN 978-0-415-55446-6. Retrieved 14 August 2013. 

External links

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