EDDY XAVER SAYAGO

Analysis of the EPM Thematic Library building

Architect: Felipe Uribe de Bedout

Year of construction: 2004

Context and Historical Analysis:

The EPM Thematic Library is located in the Guayaquil sector where the Plaza de Cisneros
was once located. In this square, in 1894, they gave permission to the merchant Carolino
Amador to build the Market Square that was called El Pedrero. All the commerce that
today is known as El Hueco arose around that market square, and with the later help of
the Railway Station on San Juan Avenue. Then, in 1952, the Pilot Plan for Medellín
suggested moving said plaza to where the Plaza Minorista is today. As the merchants
were in disagreement, it is said that the El Pedrero fire in 1968 was caused and marked
the beginning of their eviction, thieves, drug addicts, prostitutes and thugs surviving in this
sector, deteriorating this area for many years, accentuating the deterioration. of the Carré
and Vázquez buildings, until in 1984, with the construction of the La Alpujarra
Administrative Center, the final transfer of the market square was completed. For many
more years this sector was marginalized until its recovery began in 2003 with the
construction of the library together with Plaza de las Luces.

A very important aspect that must be taken into account is the location of the library with
respect to the Carré and Vázquez buildings, and between the Parque de las Luces. The
library makes a counterpoint with the aforementioned historical buildings, forming a
balance throughout the urban area, making a gesture of respect towards the heritage of
said buildings.

Analysis of the Relationship with Public Space:

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For my opinion, the relationship of the building with the public space has its deficiencies.
Although the designer makes a poetic gesture of wanting to penetrate the urban space into
the interior of the building through the extension of an inclined and open cantilever, giving
the users inside the sensation of being in the plaza, I think that this intention has fallen
short since the relationship with the urban space conflicts with the project on its first floor
due to the accesses. The building has a large square in front of it, which is the Plaza de
las Luces. And the entrances that are on the north and south sides of the building are very
small compared to the dimensions of both the plaza and the building itself. This condition
denies the pedestrian's possibilities of accessing its interior, while at the same time it does
not invite the citizen to its journey.

On the other hand, I think that there is a good relationship between the building and the
pedestrian street of Carabobo since from there you can see the EPM Library framed,
through the Carré and Vásquez buildings and the colonnades of the square. However, on
the back of the building towards Cúcuta Street, although it overlooks buildings in a state of
abandonment and ruins, the relationship is poor, since on this façade a long, glass wall is
generated, and some stairs at its ends. .

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Analysis of Uses and Functions:

Regarding the use of the building, I think it is very appropriate for the community, since this
facility was conceived as an integration center for communication, education and culture
supported mainly by virtual information media. The functions of the building are distributed
according to the pyramid of knowledge in four levels that go from the base (the general) to
the top (the specific), which has a very strong symbolic meaning: In the semi-basement
the meeting room is located. children's reading, exhibition hall, cinematheque, technical
processes and administration. On the first floor is the general newspaper library, internet,
audio and video, digital art gallery, art gallery and cafe. On the second floor is the general
reading room, the study balcony, the scientific television rooms, and auditoriums. On the
third floor is the specialized newspaper library and on the fourth floor is the researchers'
room and the terrace.

The different spaces are integrated and related by spaces free of interior enclosures,
except for the auditoriums and individual study cubicles, which allows the user to have a
wide view of the entire premises and easily locate the functional areas. The perimeter
circulations are functional and the fixed points are easily recognizable, as are the access
ramps. The latter allows the user, from inside, to access the terrace to take a break or
carry out group activities.

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Structure Analysis:

The building was planned with a mixed structure: steel and concrete, in which the
horizontal elements correspond to the first and the vertical elements to the second. In the
same way, a new, very efficient earthquake-resistant system was applied, made up of “H”
screens with steel profiles at their ends, creating highly rigid composite sections.

Materiality Analysis:

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Regarding the choice of external materials for the building, there is great success in that
relationship between different materials such as stone and glass on the facades. The first
that gives it that heavy and solid appearance, and the second that gives it the light and
diaphanous appearance. In the same way, these two materials generate a sensation of
contrast with the concepts of stereotomy and tectonics, since the stone has that
characteristic of strength and the glass supported on the steel determines the composition
more.

Regarding interior materials: Drywall, wood, glass and metal; I think there is a balance
between textures and light and darker colors, giving the feeling of rest and tranquility.

Geometric Analysis:

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The geometry of the EPM Library building is one of the representatives of contemporary
architecture, characterized by folded planes and angular shapes that generate pronounced
projections. The cantilevered glass façade has a 60° inclination with respect to the ramp
floor, which generates the impression of a pyramidal geometry, very symbolic of the
pyramid of knowledge. Another aspect that can be perceived from this type of geometry in
the building is that of formal instability, which according to the Antioquian architect Julián
Andrés Duque Cuellar, contrasts with the urban plan, generating a break with the general
scheme in which the wall is parallel or perpendicular with the plane of the ground, because
in our environment we are not used to this type of architecture. In the same way, it gives
the feeling that the building will fall on people. However, the geometry seen in plan is more
conventional and rectangular, following the reticular orientation of the blocks.

Acute angles set the tone in its morphological constitution. Its angles are very close to the
geometry of the Egyptian pyramids.

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EPM LIBRARY FLOOR FLOOR

In this geometric analysis of the plan you can see the golden rectangle.

There are some rectangles that are especially harmonious. They have a curious property:
If we divide the length of the long side by the length of the short side we obtain the same
proportion as if we divide the sum of the two sides (the short and the long) by the long
side. a/b = (a+b)/a = Φ. The Greeks called this number the golden number (phi) Φ
=1.6180339…

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Bioclimatic Analysis:

Upon entering the building, one immediately perceives the little importance given to the
concept of environmental impact, since the entire premises is artificially air-conditioned,
which necessarily leads to high maintenance costs due to the little or no management of
the currents. of natural winds. Another aspect that possibly led to artificial air conditioning
is the orientation of the glass facades, which face towards the east where the morning sun
rises and towards the west where the sunset is, this being a determining factor in the
heating of the premises. although an attempt has been made to mitigate it with its
extension and inclination. The building also lacks an internal patio to take advantage of
natural light inside in the afternoon, which leads to the use of artificial light for lighting
during the day. Due to the above, I think that the building has a great design deficiency as
it is a building with great environmental impact.

Interior lighting during

Morning sun on the

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Orientation

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