Jan 30 - 2015
The Library of Hivzi Sylejmani in Prishtina has been treated as part of Cultural Emergency Response program, financed by Prince Claus Fund for Culture and Development in partnership with Cultural Heritage without Borders, Kosovo office.
The intervention works started in the 23rd of September and were completed in the early December 2014. Treatment was mainly based in the roof and walls however other interventions were also implemented.
Atmospheric conditions have damaged the roof cover and construction. Roof tiles were removed (about 80 % of them were damaged as such they were not reused), timber construction was treated, beams when in very bad condition were replaced, timber planks, hydro insulation, new timber lintels, new roof tiles 'Tondach' were all installed.
The existing guttering was blocked and caused leakage to the building; as such all of them were replaced with new ones. The existing guttering was from very simple design by metal sheets pipes and did not permeate the water collected by rainfalls, whereas now plasticized guttering are put.
The new French drains were installed to remove the rising damp. The hole of the drainage was opened 90 cm deep to the foundations. The protective foil was laid; the plastic pipe with 110 mm diameter, perforated in all sides was put, covered first with geo-textile. Foundations were insulated with cold two component hydro insulation. The guttering was connected with drainage system as well (this connection didn't exist before) with a separate PVC pipe with 100 mm, and the discharge of these pipes is done at the main sewage system. A new pit was also opened, which serves for the discharge of drainage water. The drainage hole was closed with gravel of two fractions and finally layered with existing stone slates.
Damaged parts of internal walls and cracks were treated and plastered with lime mortar and all internal walls were painted in white. Damaged parts of external walls and cracks were treated and rendered with lime mortar; all external walls were painted in the original colour-ochre. In addition to that, except the main building of the library, the reading building (annex) was also painted in ochre.
All external windows and doors were cleaned, the wood was sanded superficially, the doors/windows were checked for their operation and treated if not functional and all the timber was painted in white colour.
Finally, 70 damaged concrete columns of the steps railing were reproduced as the original ones. Other 50 ones were treated. The metallic handler of the railing was painting in the original colour.
Now that the building is treated, it has better conditions for the staff and the community. In addition to that this contributes to the regeneration of the area as well as awareness of locals for the appreciation of common heritage.