For Rosario’s Bicentennial Library, SAS proposed a place of awe-inspiring materiality and scale not only for reading, but for the participation of citizens in the social and cultural fabric of the city and its institutions. Its architecture responds to the call to create and foster a lasting bond between the city and its inhabitants. Using reinforced masonry vaulting pioneered by Eladio Dieste and subsequently advanced by Ove Arup’s Advanced Geometry Unit, the structural system of the library expresses the potential of both traditional and modern building technology.

The library itself is grounded in its urban environment, accessible through the adjacent park whose outdoor programs complement those taking place inside. Once inside, the space is both austere and sensual, evoking the great reading rooms of libraries past. The soaring two-directional vault spanning the 180-foot wide and 65-foot high Reading Room is fi nished with smooth lime plaster reaching up to the large central skylight. This urban room is naturally bright, yet the soft and indirect light provides a serene backdrop for Rosario’s citizens.