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EULOGY TO FREE ACCESS
project by Wilmotte et Associés
photo by Alessandro Paderni, Eye Studio
text by Giovanna Massoni

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THE MATERIALS The entire building exudes a decidedly ‘mineral’ aura.  The external architecture is in light stone, used for the building and the external areas, to emphasise the Mediterranean character of the site and the special quality of the natural light, a particular feature of this region of France. For the west façade, the decision was made to use onyx, a translucent stone which filters incoming light in working areas and results in the building taking on a whole new appearance at night. However, it is glass that plays the lead role in this design. Put to use by the architects in diverse and innovative ways, it permits extensive use of natural light (resulting in lower energy bills) which constantly bridges the gap between inside and out, between high culture and free access, and between public and private, intimate, reading spaces.
The area of greatest interest here is the grand-scale reception hall. In perfect symmetry with the materials used for the exterior, the choice for the interior was Elegance, color Via Montenapoleone, porcelain stoneware in a 119x59.4 cm format made by Cotto D’Este. The warm tones and delicate grain of the stone beautifully enhance the abundance of natural light in this vast central area.
The coherence of form between exterior and interior in the design by Wilmotte et Associés discussed thus far does not in itself do justice to the building as a sustainable whole. In their quest for coherence, these Paris-based architects have always dealt with both architectural and interior design. Making environmental checks part and parcel of a project from start to finish, it was no accident that they went for environmentally friendly tiles. Elegance Via Montenapoleone is made by one of the Gruppo Panaria companies that has collected the highest number of sustainability awards: Coto D’Este is the proud holder of EMAS and ISO 14001 certificates and, for this plus other products, they are currently awaiting Ecolabel certification, the eco-friendly benchmark.
This tile’s excellent curriculum is rounded off by its durability, ease of maintenance and resistance to heavy traffic, explaining its choice for an area regularly at maximum capacity such as the library exhibition hall, with an average throughput of 1,500 visitors a day.