PINGTUNG PUBLIC LIBRARY

THE TAIWANESE DESIGN STUDIO MAYU ARCHITECTS GAVE THE LIBRARY A NEW LOOK AND CREATED AN ACCESSIBLE SPACE FOR PEOPLE OF ALL AGES WHILE OFFERING THE EXPERIENCE OF BEING IN A NEARBY FOREST

TEXT: GOLDEN PIN DESIGN AWARD
PHOTO CREDIT AS NOTED

(For Thai, press here)

The Pingtung Public Library is a transformation of an over 30-year-old library that used to be a typical white, five-story, rectangular building, like many other libraries in Taiwan.

The Pingtung County government, recognizing that Pingtung, located at the southernmost tip of Taiwan, lacks the abundant cultural and reading environment found in cities like Taipei and Kaohsiung. Thus, they invited MAYU architects to redesign the library while preserving the existing structure. Through architectural and interior design, they aimed to give the library a new look and create a space where people would be more inclined to come in and read.

 The library is situated in a 40,000-square-meter park. MAYU architects stated, “This is a forest library. When deciding to construct the new entrance hall, we used the row of camphor trees as the benchmark, and throughout the construction process, we did not cut down a single tree”. The existing building was expanded outward with a large black triangular glass space, serving as the new entrance and lobby. This successful integration with the flourishing 50-year-old camphor forest creates a harmonious blend of nature and architecture, providing visitors with an experience of being in a forest while inside the library.

The four-story building features high ceilings, creating a spacious and unobtrusive atmosphere. The rotating staircase in the lobby serves as a visual focal point, enhancing the verticality of the space and igniting readers’ desire to explore the area, instead of taking the lift. Furthermore, MAYU architects believes that “a good reading space is a space that may distract you.” To encourage visitors to stay in the library, large floor-to-ceiling windows allow ample sunlight to penetrate the interior, and over 700 seats face the forest, allowing people to enjoy the outdoor scenery while reading, thereby enhancing their reading experience.

Unlike typical libraries that primarily cater to student populations, the design concept of the Pingtung Public Library emphasizes that it is a library accessible to people from 0 to 100 years old. The first floor is dedicated to the elderly and children with book collections, while the second floor houses a general book-borrowing area with a rich collection of books and laptop seating.

The third floor is a space for teenagers, with collections of comics and novels. It also features a tiered mezzanine projection space for diverse applications in the future.

On the fourth floor, there is the ‘Pingtung Literature Museum’, which showcases local literature from different Taiwanese ethnic groups. The space incorporates building materials from traditional Taiwanese slate houses that are over 30 years old, as well as intricate wood carvings, presenting the lifestyle of early Taiwanese indigenous peoples. The floor is covered with woven mats, allowing readers to pick up local literature and sit in this culturally immersive space to read.

This project has been awarded several international design awards as well as the Golden Pin Design Awards in 2021.

mayuarchitects.com

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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/