Biblioteca Pública Virgilio Barco
Spiral-shaped public library sunk below ground level, its ramps and water mirrors built as a hushed, temple-like passage into the stacks.
Location
About this audio guide
This guide to the Biblioteca Pública Virgilio Barco in Bogotá follows architect Rogelio Salmona's design for a public library sunk five meters below street level and laid out as a spiral, shaped like a snail shell. You'll hear why he named the entrance the room of the lost steps, and how the water mirrors, brick rooflines and circular halls draw on patterns borrowed from the Quimbaya and Aztec. Stand at the water's edge near the entrance ramp to hear the sound Salmona built in on purpose.
This audio guide was created using AI.
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