Programme : Library

Location : #1163 Chi Pyong Dong, Seo-gu, Gwangju

Site Area : 10,200m²

Surface : 10,963m²

Year : 2019-2020

Client : Gwangju Metropolitan City

Partners : Reset Studio

Status : Design Competition

Despite its disconnected urban situation, the project site is surrounded by the beautiful and remarkable nature environement : numerous grown-up trees arrayed along the site limit, the Gwangjucheon stream less than 50m away from the site and the endless agriculture field to the north side, etc.

On this same site, co-exists also the non-functional incineration plants with its huge chimney and the heat supply facility. With its gigantic scale, they have become the icon of this area whether lliked or not. Our proposal is the result of the reflection on how to harmonize the above two strong characteristic elements on the site, the nature and the industrial architecture together with the Cith Main Library of Gwangju.

Our design process has also been started from the very basic idea that we, human being, are constantly learning from each other.

Therefore, our proposal answers to the question of how we can enhance the encounters between people even in this era where the information consumptions are happening more and more in an individual level.

Simple but strong architectural element that can facilitate the communications between visitors came to the site with different purpose: library, art exhibition, music concert, music recording studio...

SANGMU OPEN PASSAGE PLATFORM
The ground level of the project is designed to be open and accessible not only to the library user but also to the general public.

The main axe, SANGMU OPEN PASSAGE is comprised of two passages: One open air passage and another one indoor gallery. In the inside gallery public programs such as multipurpose hall, exhibition room and shop and cafe are located that can also be used by all the publics on the site. For the 2nd phase, the open air passage is proposed to penetrate the incineration plants building and the small hills in order to propose a strong pedestrian access to the residence area.

On the west, from the edge of the existing green area, exterior parking zone is proposed with trees which creates the pleasant spacial density on the height. The trees are planted in a staggered arrangement with the columns of the canopy.

Thus the large parking area is visually within the vertical elements (trees and columns) that desfines space even in the vast exterior parking zone.

Thanks to the the large angled main stairs to the library lobby on the 2nd floor, theateral space is created that can have a meeting place identity of the entire site.

The RENDEZ-VOUS PLAZA can be a starting point of the visit.

S.S.A (SuperString Architecture)