The “rocks” of Saint-Malo Meditheque are geological anomalies acting as cultural catalysts

By: Lidija Grozdanic | August - 23 - 2011

Inspired by the landscape of Bretagne, the Saint-Malo Mediatheque is designed in the form of three rocks placed on a granite plaza. The library and the cinema of Saint-Malo are meant to perform as a new cultural catalyst, activating the adjacent city area. Approached from the city, the first “rock” to meet the visitors is the library, followed by the film center. With the third-the entertainment center, the entire assemblage dominates the plaza, creating a vibrant atmosphere of cultural activity.
The three blocks are covered with mineral envelopes that visually resemble the material of the inner city. Their high energy performance and insolation features rely on the use of thermal inertia of the structures inside the buildings. The seemingly random positions of the “rocks” enable the interior  to open up and raise the ground level, achieving an optimal level of natural ventilation. The buildings are multi-sided and not specifically oriented. The Serero Architects specifically sought to avoid creating a disparity between the service and the main facade.
The volumes are generated by the intersection of planes. The overall appearance plays on the volume of the buildings, their materiality and transparency in order to create rich and complex spaces. The project is open to the city from the large windows on the ground floor and is specifically designed and implemented to make the most of natural energy and reduce dependence on fossil fuels.