CONCEPTION
The site destined to Pinocchio Children’s Library in Collodi, Italy, is located next to the Pinocchio’s Park, is cut by a river and has an iconic historical building: the Paper Factory. The paper production in this region started at the beginning of the 19th century, when a real revolution was born: the invention of straw paper (the typical yellow paper for packaging, progenitor of the modern paperboard). From the Paper Factory comes the inspiration for the construction of the Library, which should be an icon of creativity, fantasy and children’s imagination. The perfect union between paper and art can be found in Origami: a traditional Japanese art of folding paper, creating beings, objects, representations. Designing the plan as a “bridge building” that crosses the river, connects with the Factory, and opens onto the city’s infrastructure providing the best access for pedestrians and vehicles, the Library is conceived as an Origami creation. The forms inspired by paper foldings are explored with colors and lights, creating dynamic spaces that foster the imagination of children and adults to the world of literature and children’s tales.

STRUCTURE
The steel structure is designed with edge trusses that produce few support points and sensation of lightness, a diagonal rectangular mesh on the roof and “tree” type pillars that optimize large gaps and provide openings for sunlight. This steel mesh is responsible for the materialization of the Origami form, while the facade sealing spaces are formed by the glass skin in composition of rectangles that allude to the books. The structure of the underground levels is built in reinforced concrete with ribbed slabs.

SUSTAINABILITY
The Library brings the life of the river waters to the building in the form of electric energy, generated from the movement of the waters. A propeller is positioned next to the river bed to capture the current and a generator is positioned inside the small building maintained next to the Paper Factory, where are also installed air conditioning and rainwater reuse equipment. Rainwater is collected, filtered, and reused in the irrigation of gardens and restrooms. The Library’s Origami composition has also been thought to balance opaque and translucent surfaces, especially in the cover openings that allow the entry of controlled natural light. The building automation system can open and close fins that control the entrance of light and incidence of solar radiation according to each season of the year and different temperatures.

INFRASTRUCTURE
The Pinocchio Children’s Library connects with urban infrastructure in all aspects: functions, accesses, flows, security, transition between public and private. At the main access by Via Benvenuto Paquinelli, there is the access of vehicles to the public that can park cars in the underground levels, in addition to a passage of vehicles intended for quick boarding and disembarkation. A small square in the frontal space of the library accommodates a Pinocchio statue and provides a friendly living space with benches, lighting and trees for shading. At the reception, the visitor can be directed to 3 different environments: in front it goes to the Library, to the right is the Exhibition Area and to the left to Pinocchio’s Park. Access for the dock and library staff is by Via Cartieri.