A new chapter for León Library

Located in the Fierro Building, in the city of León, the intervention has modernised and expanded the facilities, adapting them to the current needs of researchers and students while preserving the heritage character that defines the institution.

Developed by the design studio Andrea Muñoz Diseño, the project involved removing the previous furniture and reorganising the interiors, introducing new materials, more carefully considered lighting, and distinct areas for reading and specialised work. Within this comprehensive renewal, Sellex contributed by installing several LORCA Tables, integrated into the study and research areas as key elements of the new interior.

A contemporary project within a building with history

León Library forms part of the Leonese Institute of Culture, an institution with a bibliographic tradition dating back to 1928. Since 1966, it has occupied the Fierro Building on Puerta de la Reina Street — a distinctive 20th-century building originally conceived with a museum and cultural vocation. Its architecture is sober and monumental, with neoclassical influences, featuring façades of brick, limestone and granite. Inside, the entrance hall stands out, dominated by an imperial staircase clad in Macael marble and black Maquina.

The recent refurbishment has successfully entered into dialogue with this architectural legacy, rationalising the interior layout and creating new glazed areas for researchers — designed for focused work and meetings — without interfering with the library’s general use. The result is a more welcoming and functional environment, aligned with today’s standards while remaining faithful to the identity of the building.

The LORCA Table, an architectural element in its own right

In this new setting, the LORCA Table takes on a leading role. Its design and functionality make LORCA a benchmark for offices, collaborative workspaces and reading rooms, as well as educational facilities more broadly.

The Andrea Muñoz Diseño team highlights that the choice of LORCA was based on both aesthetic and functional criteria. “We wanted to move away from the traditional concept of a library table, and instead introduce a piece with greater presence and quality,” they explain. The interior design team also valued the integration of direct lighting over the work surface, as it “helps create a warm atmosphere and supports the concentration and abstraction needed for study.” As for finishes, the natural oak of the LORCA Table was ideal to “dialogue harmoniously” with the rest of the furniture, also designed in oak.

Thanks to its structure, the LORCA Table not only fulfils a practical function, but becomes an additional architectural element within the space, reinforcing the contemporary character of a historic library dedicated to knowledge and research.