The new library in Turnov will be designed by A69 - architects

Turnov (Semilsko) – The winning proposal inspired by the Rock City in the Bohemian Paradise is intended for the new library to be built in Turnov. The winning studio from the competition, A69 - architects, estimated the construction costs at 50 million crowns excluding tax. The town hall expected an amount that is one-fifth lower. The mayor of the town, Tomáš Hocke (Independent Bloc), informed the journalists about this today. The city plans to build the library between 2022 and 2023. "We will dedicate 2020 to project preparation," stated the mayor.

The Antonín Marka Municipal Library is one of the oldest in the country and will celebrate its 200th anniversary this year. Discussions about relocating it from Jeronýmova Street have been ongoing for years in the town of fifteen thousand. The current building does not meet the needs of the library in terms of capacity, lacks better sanitary facilities and visitor amenities, and does not have an accessible layout.

The new four-story library with a terrace will be located on Skálova Street. "It is basically a narrow plot between the summer cinema and the house Na sboře. We need the new library building to communicate with the people and to connect Skálova Street, the park by the summer cinema, and at the same time respond to the existence of the summer cinema, which is one of the most visited in the whole country," the mayor stated. In his opinion, the authors of the winning proposal succeeded in this. "They tried to capture the charm of the rock cities," said Hocke.

In the proposal, the authors indicated that the central space of the library should be an analogy to a rocky gorge. Inside, visitors should discover vistas and breaks typical of the natural environment of a rock city. From the roof, there should be a view of the town from a staircase shaded by a shallow-rooted pine tree, as is often seen at the top of a rock massif. "I am really looking forward to that building; I hope it works out, and we will have it built here," said Hocke. The construction price could be a complication. The town hall expected that it would not exceed 50 million, including tax. "So we have a difference of 20 percent. Of course, in the next design phases, we will try to reach the set target; if not close, then at least maintain where we are today," added the mayor.