From the very beginning of the design, the main task of the Spanish architect was to harmonize his building with the surroundings, primarily with the museum, for which Moneo recognizes leadership not only in the Abandoibarra area, but also in Bilbao as a whole. The new park surrounding both buildings and the buildings of the University of Deusto, located next door, also played a role.
To separate his building from the museum and avoid visual conflict with it, Moneo chose the monolithic, cubic shape of the building and used glass blocks as the material for the facades, which look quite modest in daylight - especially in comparison with shiny titanium. At the same time, he turned in the direction of the Gehry building the wide courtyard of his building, formed by a niche (more precisely, by the "taken out" corner of the building) with walls made of transparent glass. There are reading rooms, therefore, a visual connection between the interior of the library and the museum is created. Also, the courtyard is intended to serve as a transitional space between the landscape of the park and the geometry of Moneo's architecture. However, at night, the relationship between the two structures changes: the museum plunges into darkness, and the library glows from the inside.
The new building has 10 floors - five underground, where the book depository is located, and five aboveground, with reading rooms and auditoriums: the fact is that this is more than just a library - it is a "Resource Center for Study and Research".
