NOT JUST LIBRARY

A LIBRARY THAT KEPT THE ORIGINAL BUILDING STRUCTURE AND THE EXPERIENCE OF JAPANESE PUBLIC BATHHOUSES, CREATING THE SPACES FOR READING, MEETING AND THE PUBLIC PLACE TO INTERACT AND EXCHANGE IDEAS, EMBODYING THE CONCEPT OF ‘NOT JUST LIBRARY’

TEXT: GOLDEN PIN DESIGN AWARD
PHOTO CREDIT AS NOTED

(For Thai, press here)

The concept of “Not Just Library” originates from the 80-year-old bathhouse for female employees of the Songshan Tobacco Factory during the Japanese colonial period. Taiwan Design Research Institute, responsible for promoting design, invited the design firms, JC. Architecture & Design and Landscape Motif Planning & Design Consultant to transform the bathhouse into a modern reading space. The challenge is to work within the constraints of the historical site renovation regulations without damaging the original building structure.

The design inspiration for “Not Just Library” is drawn from the experience of Japanese public bathhouses. Visitors pay an entrance fee at the entrance, then proceed to change clothes, bathe, and soak in the bath, relieving fatigue and bringing a sense of overall relaxation. Therefore, corresponding to the above mentioned experience, before entering the library, visitors pass through a sloping entrance, and the transition in space also brings about a serene reading atmosphere. Upon turning a corner, visitors arrive at the Book Bath area, a sunken and stepped reading space that collects over 10,000 books and magazines on lifestyle aesthetics, design, and architecture.

The central island in the Book Bath area functions like a fashion show platform, showcasing featured books or exhibition items of the current period. The rear area is the Bathhouse section, preserving the semicircular bath, the bathroom tiles on the walls, and the old windows.

The large windows facing outward allow sunlight to penetrate and allow readers to enjoy picturesque garden views. Insufficient lighting is supplemented by the suspended concentric light fixtures in the center. With over 100 steel wires suspended, the circular lighting fixtures themselves become artistic elements of the space.

The outdoor space connected to the library is created by Landscape Motif Planning & Design Consultants. Originally the exterior courtyard of the bathhouse, it is now filled with a variety of plants. The seemingly random landscape design cleverly combines native Taiwanese and foreign tree species, creating a meticulously arranged scenery.

“During the digital age, we cannot deny that paper books are declining. We hope to utilize interdisciplinary collaboration to create more possibilities for this space and ensure that knowledge and ideas in various fields can be exchanged in different ways”, said by the manager of the Not Just Library

As an important institution for promoting design, the Taiwan Design Research Institute breaks the conventional image of a library space that must be quiet, have large tables, and be brightly lit indoors. By organizing design and cultural events, the space becomes a meeting place for designers and the public to interact and exchange ideas, embodying the concept of “Not Just Library.”

johnnyisborn.com
motifla.com.tw

_

Golden Pin Design Award

The Golden Pin Design Award is the oldest and most renowned professional design award in Taiwan and the Great Chinese market. We encourage innovative and creative design. The early bird registration for this year is open from today until June 12th (Monday), while regular registration will be accepted until July 5th (Wednesday).

For more information, please visit https://www.goldenpin.org.tw/en/