The New National Library of the Czech Republic
Este proyecto es la propuesta para la Nueva Biblioteca Nacional de la Republica Checa (The New Nacional Library of the Czech Republic) que se presento para el concurso de realizado en el 2006. El proyecto para el concurso se realizo con la colaboración de Jesus Jáuregui y su estudio Instametal. El proyecto constaba en el diseño de 50,000 m2 para la nueva biblioteca nacional.
Adjunto se encuentra la copia de la memoria en ingles que ayudara a esclarecer el proyecto:
THE LOCATION OF THE BUILDING
The building is composed of a plateau spanning the whole site and two blocks: a tall translucent/transparent block due east and an opaque low block due west. The position and morphology of the building was selected to be a direct consequence of its surroundings. The block next to the existing buildings in Horakove Ave. would not exceed the required height of 23m. and will relate to the existing typology trough proportional mimicry. The second translucent block is a fourteen storey block that takes advantage of the views towards the Prague Castle and the valley due south and east. The plateau below will start at a level co-planar with the park on the south-east corner and will slope 5m towards the north-east corner. This slope will generate an open green area that integrates and extends the park and valley below. This slope responds to the two forces that affect the site: the force of nature coming from the south-east and the urban force parallel to Horakove Ave.
At the same time, at street level the building should respond to these forces so the space between the slope and grade become an urban space to generate the necessary attractors in the urban fabric.
CONCEPT
The main concepts for the design of the library could be summarized in four words: books, translucency, flow and mimicry.
BOOKS: The morphology of the new library comes from a pile of books. 
The pile of books symbolizes knowledge and study which are ideas central to any library. Books come in a variety of sizes and thicknesses and when piled up, they form an unusually aesthetic composition. The composition became ideal when the team made the decision of allowing the program to define the limits of each floor. In other words, functionality and the program were taken to an absurd level allowing those aspects to determine the shape and size of the building.
TRANSLUCENCY: This aspect became an important issue when selecting the materials and the placement of the “functional floors” within a structural frame. The curved plateau or artificial park above the first floor separates the public areas from the semi-public and private areas of the library. 
This plateau houses all the public activities like restaurants and exhibition areas that will remain open to the public even after the library closes. This plateau is accessible to the general public without the need to enter the library space. The translucent block on the east side will reflect the necessity of that part of the city to maintain a certain link with the natural surroundings.
FLOW: The urban flow was taken literally and used as a design element. The flow manifests as the continuity of the south-east park (through the plateau) and through access ramps that slowly lead the visitor to the public areas. The urban flow also gives shape to the north-west corner so that it curves in to lead the visitor to the library interior. This flow was important in determining the public areas since it allows for a “zone” that has separate accesses to the main library.
MIMICRY: Being this area of Prague part of a historic district, mimicry was an important element to determine the architectural elements of the library; special care was taken to the side that faces the west since it is in direct relation with the historical buildings. The rectangular shape of the windows and the brick coursing where elements that where re-casted to more contemporary renditions so that they relate to its traditional counterparts. Hence the windows became windows on the west block and the brick coursing became the mullion pattern for the curtain walls. The metal panels are also placed in a diagonal pattern resembling dragon scales which is a pattern used in castles all over Europe.
OPERATIONAL RELATIONS
The functional distribution of the new library is very simple and responds to the programmatic requirements. The public areas are located in the first floor with the parliament library. The first floor also houses an urban space inside the limits of the site to integrate the public library areas with the city. The basement houses the rest of the public areas and the service areas and underground parking. The Second floor is accessible through a ramp that ascends from the urban space of the first floor and through the sloping green courtyard that comes from the south-east park. This floor houses the cafeteria and exhibition spaces as well as the reading rooms. This “vertical sector” finishes on this floor and comprises of all the areas that are accessible to the general public.
The areas that house the universal collection, the acquisition division and the cataloguing division are located in the space above this vertical sector forming the second vertical sector. This vertical sector is divided functionally between the east and west blocks. Vertical integration between a division separated in two or more floors was encouraged throughout the design process.
The preservation area or private collection that house invaluable books and is the heart of the cultural heritage of Prague will be located on the upper part of the east block becoming an important icon to the city that will be visible form far away.
There is a natural progression between public, semi- public, private and treasured throughout the section of the building.
MATERIALS
The exterior walls are veneered with dark gray metal panes and with a brick veneer pattern curtain wall. The vertical circulation will be accented by rectangular copper cladding. And the east block will be designed using a pattern of translucent and transparent glass for the curtain wall. The plateau will be covered with artificial grass and the public areas on top of the plateau will have transparent glass with translucent inscriptions of famous quotes in their native language.
CONSTRUCTION SYSTEM
The structural system is a typical steel frame system with metal panel and glass veneer. On specific places, a steel truss system is designed to span long distances. The slabs will be post tensioned concrete slabs to support the long spans. The structure is designed in a 8.40m X 18.00m grid.
The ceilings will be hanged acoustic ceiling panels and hanged gypsum board panels. Each floor has a 5m floor to floor height and a 4m clear height.
