Cultural Center "Books, Coffee, and Other Dimensions"

After the reconstruction, the compact volumes of the new Cultural Center retained the proportions of its predecessor, the 1970s bookstore. However, visually, the volume became dominant in the environment due to the spatial design of the facades, highlighting the Book Center building against the background of the adjacent nine-story residential building. It is a single-story compact volume with a floor height up to the bottom of the structures of 3.0 meters, which corresponds to the original 1970 design.

The original area of the bookstore was relatively small, so it had to be expanded by converting one of the apartments on the first floor. This not only increased the floor space, but also visually expanded the internal volume of the store by replacing the solid beams in the ceiling structure with trusses with voids, through which sunlight now penetrates.

Referring to the historical facade materials of the bookstore, it was decided to add light-gray fibre-cement panels, serving as a base tone for the brass volumetric constructions. The light elements of the fibre-cement highlight the entrance area: bevelled corners guide the visitor and create an illusion of perspective.

The bookstore is the main, but not the only, function realized in the project. Thanks to the expansion of the first floor and the addition of a basement level, the new store features space for a small café and a lecture hall. The main area includes three book halls with visitor seating and showcases for related products, such as stationery, art supplies, and more. One of the smaller halls is dedicated to gift items and antiques. In this small hall, in addition to books, visitors can purchase stationery, artist supplies, portfolios, gift fountain pens, and other related products. Another hall is set up for gift and rare editions.