Header: Wojciech Januszewski, Tutek Media
Metroteka, the first public library inside a metro station, aims to answer the question “What happens when a library is placed not at the destination, but along the journey itself?” Much like an urban cathedral of knowledge, Metroteka invites passengers to pause and add reading to their daily routine.
Metroteka by Grzegorz Kłoda
The idea for Metroteka came from observation. While libraries struggle to capture people’s time and attention, their potential users spend much of their free time moving through transit. Instead of expecting readers to incorporate the cultural spaces into their lives, Metroteka brings books directly into the daily routines of Warsaw residents.
A library and a garden at the Warsaw Metro Kondratowicza station
The library, placed in Warsaw’s Metro Kondratowicza station, turns the spatial volume associated with movement and speed into a place of learning and discovery. Visitors can look through the offering, borrow a book, attend an event, or explore a hydroponic garden growing in the interior.
Parametic design
The interior features an open-plan concept shaped by numerous parametric bookshelves. Apart from its original purpose of hosting books, the shelving system separates zones, guides movement and defines the library’s spatial identity. The zones include reading areas, event space, children’s and adults’ zones, places for longer visits and short stops between commutes. The children’s area features soft green carpet for safety, decorative lighting and a panda toy welcoming those eager to explore Metroteka.
Tree-inspired columns
Monumental sculptural forms inspired by trees greet visitors at the entrance, providing the underground infrastructure with an uncommon sense of verticality, while creating spatial drama and a sacred atmosphere. The parametric design of the space makes every element, from the shelves to the columns, unique.
Lush, hydroponic garden installation
Metroteka’s eye-grabbing hydroponic installation offers an alternative method of growing vegetation. Cultivated without soil or access to natural daylight, the plants rely on a nutrient-rich water solution and artificial lighting. A little green oasis in the Warsaw underground leaves a strong visual impression, but its impact spans beyond appearance. The installation serves an educational purpose, promoting sustainability and groundbreaking approaches to food production.
Since opening, the library has hosted numerous workshops, presentations, meet-and-greet events with the authors, and educational activities, spanning far beyond its original purpose. And while the library has full-time employees, the self-service borrowing technology is also a part of the design.
By residing underground in a busy Warsaw station, Metroteka challenges traditional ideas of how and where libraries should be built. The project showcases how urban infrastructure can be repurposed to serve social and cultural purposes.
Project info
Lead architect: Grzegorz Kłoda
Assistant: Justyna Baran
Client: Public Library of the Targówek District, City of Warsaw
Area: 145 m²
Completion: 2025
Photos: Wojciech Januszewski, Tutek Media
