project : Songdo International City Library / 2021
type : International One Stage Open Competition
location : Songdo - South Korea
program : Culture - Education
area : 8.000 m²
Emerging from the water, a reminder of the city’s own creation, the library is reinventing itself into a new cultural hub. In an age when information can be accessed with a touch of a screen, traditional media is under threat. Consequently libraries need to stay relevant and inviting by expanding their scope. In the case of Songdo and this specific location, flexibility, openness and views are the architectural ingredients to mix and keep this typology alive and attractive. An inviting entity with a hyper-local impact, it is characterized by transparency and permeability. Strategically placed closer to the southernmost corner, it embraces and activates the surroundings and the views of the location. Combining a stepped, almost pixelated form with dynamic lines, it carries a distinct architectural identity.
The stepped landscape in combination with movable furniture multiplies the library’s potential both functionally and aesthetically. It allows for numerous spatial experiences, varying from a complete open common hall to smaller, more private areas. These scenarios share something in common, this of being surrounded by unobstructed views. In that regard, the southernmost corner is the highest point and while its accent is securing the building with a strong urban presence, it also gives the visitors an impressive view to the horizon. The proposal uses visible timber structural elements resting on a concrete podium which houses the underground facilities. Embracing wood within a greater concrete based environment makes both an environmental and an architectural statement. From an environmental perspective this happens due to the sustainable nature of the material. Architecturally speaking it is a fun fact to know that books (paper) and vessel share in essence the same source material, especially important as a reminder on times when we are strongly drifting towards the direction of digitalization and the unclear role of libraries as we know them.
Durability, longevity, ease of maintenance and material economy are crucial features of this environmentally conscious design which adapts to local conditions. Through prefabrication, reduced CO2 emission, lighter weight & fast erection, smart use of energy, combination of natural and artificial ventilation the new library stands as a landmark of sustainable strategies. A generous gross floor height of 6.0m in combination with an elevated floor and an exposed timber ceiling combines high flexibility, ease of maintenance and aesthetics. Extensive vegetation is ensuring a calming green buffer and combined with two entrances and a pedestrian network, the landscape harmoniously coexists with the building. Tarmac is reduced to minimum and all types of traffic are blending in a safe and user friendly manner. Contemporary materials and integrated green follow a comprehensive sustainable and circular strategy interpreted in a strong and inviting architectural image.
The design makes a step towards an architectural 'critical happiness’, a state where designers and people deserve and enjoy spaces that fully cover their honest needs to relate, communicate, develop and evolve, individually and collectively. It is a gesture towards a future full of knowledge, wellbeing and love of books for years to come.