Library of Petr Hájek

Based on the winning competition, we realized the Library of Petr Hájek at the Institute of Computer Science of the Czech Academy of Sciences.
Prof. RNDr. Petr Hájek, DrSc. (1940-2016) was a world-renowned Czech mathematical logician and director of the Institute of Computer Science of the Czech Academy of Sciences. After the professor's death, his extensive collection of books was bequeathed to the institute. The task was to exhibit the books, make them accessible, and at the same time honor the memory of the personality of Petr Hájek.
Surrounded by books.
In the utilitarian room inside the building's layout, where a mainframe computer once stood, we designed an inserted room for the library. A room enveloped in books. The inserted library functions as an introverted space, the world of Petr Hájek, his books, and knowledge.
We opened the library to the surrounding corridors with generous openings and views. With its striking colors and lighting, the library attracts attention and entices discovery. The blue color has a dignified and calm effect, thus reflecting the personality of Mr. Hájek.
The shelves carrying the books also extend to the outer side of the library. The world of Petr Hájek seeps through the embossed fields via quotes or key axioms from his mathematical work. As visitors pass by the library, they gather fragments of the professor's personal and professional life.