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Elena Orte: "Ecosystem Design at the Gabriel García Márquez Library in Barcelona"Elena Orte is a graduate architect and holds a Master's degree in Advanced Architectural Design from ETSAM at the Polytechnic University of Madrid. In 2005, she co-founded the SUMA studio in Madrid together with Guillermo Sevillano. She is a lecturer at the IAAC in Catalonia and at the IE in Madrid, and has been an Assistant Professor at ETSAM. Recently, her studio won the Emerging EU Mies Award 2024. She has participated in international juries, seminars and workshops, and her projects have been published in prestigious architecture magazines.SUMA has won national and international competitions, including libraries and public housing in Spain. Their work has been awarded multiple times, such as the Mies van der Rohe Emerging Award 2024, Best Public Library of the Year 2023 (IFLA), and the First Prize COAM 2023, among others.The Gabriel García Márquez Library, inaugurated in 2022 in the Sant Martí de Provençals neighborhood, Barcelona, has transformed a "non-place" —a former parking lot behind a police station— into a vibrant civic center. Known as the "Guggenheim of La Verneda," this library stands on an elevated plaza that expands public space and improves pedestrian circulation. Beyond being a knowledge center, the library responds to historical demands of the neighborhood, providing a space for meeting and social cohesion.The building's design, inspired by volumes stacked like books, combines a laminated wood structure and steel elements, achieving the largest exposure of wood in Europe to date. Accredited with LEED Gold certification, the library stands out for its sustainability strategies, such as photovoltaic panels, rainwater reuse, and a ventilated facade.Organized around a triangular courtyard, the library offers versatile spaces that promote social interaction and the exchange of ideas. Its innovative design has been recognized as the Best Public Library in the World in 2023 and the Mies van der Rohe Emerging Award 2024. Since its opening, it has strengthened social bonds in the neighborhood, becoming a cultural and social landmark, affectionately known as a "Palace of the People". Organizes: Santiago VarelaCollaborates: College of Architects of Alicante