L'ambiente della biblioteca pubblica: il ruolo e il rapporto con il benessere percettivo dell’utente

This thesis is an outcome of the Ph.D. program in Architecture under University of Florence run from 2015-2019. The content is composed of four parts: Introduction to the research; Background theory; Field research; Research outputs. Despite an interesting number of new public libraries worldwide have been coming out with success recently, including those in Italy, others in the same context and also in the different one are still facing the problem of reducing the number of users. By this the research analyzed relationships between contemporary public library as a physical space and their occupants to acquire a better understanding of these phenomena and to bring significant elements in the future public library design.  Due to aiming to improve the bond between public library and its users, perceived well-being was set as a key factor to extrapolate useful implications. Employing a holistic approach to provide a wide perspective, the study was carried out with the fundamental contribution of Design, Architecture and Environmental psychology. The Multiple Case Study was adopted as a research strategy for the field research which conducted in two correlated stages. In the first one, fifteen public libraries in Italy selected as good practices were explored in their natural setting to identify common and diverse characteristics of their environment. During this stage, a combined technique of gathering data was used: document consultation; conversation with their librarians; taking notes from direct observations; recording some occurring dynamics of space using by taking photos. Then in the second stage, three libraries of them were chosen as the samples for further investigation by in-depth interviewing some of their users. This study confirms that the user's perception of well being is associated with some design features which strongly influence his decision to visit a public library and to occupy its spaces. The most important factors that determine a positive environment are three: large and open space; natural light; internal and external prospect. Most of the users' expectations were found encountered, proving that the space designing was well conceptualized by the contemporary designers. By the way, some critical points were underlined and relative suggestions were given by the interviewees.  All data and results deriving from every phase of the research were compared and integrated to define set of criteria and ideas figured out in the final part with descriptions and pictures which could be served as design indications for a new project that concerns the user's perception of well-being and user's needs to purpose a public library as a functional and comfortable place to be frequented with pleasure.