Mijic Architects to Build New Library at La Sapienza University of Rome

Mijic Architects has won the international competition to design a new library for La Sapienza University of Rome. The project, led by Eduard Mijic, includes Polistudio A.E.S. and Studio di Geologia tecnica e ambientale Copioli. The library will house two million volumes from the unified Faculty of Letters and Philosophy, and will feature flexible spaces for events, conferences, and community exchange. The building, a cube-shaped structure referencing the orthogonal plan of a Roman castrum, will be built on the campus facing Piazzale Aldo Moro, within the existing early 20th-century university complex by architect Marcello Piacentini. The design includes two entrances connected by a public reception area leading to an internal courtyard and upper floors. The library will have green terraces, social spaces, reading rooms, a café, a bookshop, and an auditorium. Facades alternate travertine lamellas with glazed sections to provide visibility from the street. The project aims to transform the library from an introverted space into a transparent, collective hub bridging the university and the city.