Unique Reading Area Library by Hui Hsin Cheng is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 Bronze A' Design Award in Interior Space and Exhibition Design Competition Category.
BronzeInterior· 2023
Unique Reading Area Library
Client: Homeyoung interior decorating and design Ltd.
Bronze A' Design Award Winner in Interior Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #151394The Design
About Unique Reading Area Library
The library is located in a quiet and natural environment. The lobby is designed with virtual and real hollows between the grilles to connect the staggered relationship between people and space, creating a sense of overlap between light, shadow and space. A large number of bookshelf designs use vertical and horizontal lines to construct space, and use linear lighting to embellish, refract, penetrate and focus, creating more gathering spaces close to nature. The designer hopes to promote children's physical and mental development in this parent-child friendly reading area.
The Recognition
About the Bronze A' Design Award
Unique Reading Area Library is a Bronze A' Design Award winner, a highly prestigious recognition granted to outstanding designs distinguished by creativity, ingenuity, and astuteness. Bronze winners are amply skillful and strikingly creative artifacts that authenticate the vast experience, imagination, and resourcefulness of their designers. Unique Reading Area Library is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished object that is notably professional and innovative. This Bronze A' Design Award-winning design incorporates best practices in art, science, design, and technology, and is excellent for its attention to detail. Unique Reading Area Library splendidly satisfies needs, touches desires, charms feelings, and appeals to curiosity.
Interviews
Grand Interview
Your innovative integration of virtual and real hollows between grilles in the Unique Reading Area Library creates a mesmerizing interplay of light and shadow – could you elaborate on how this architectural choice enhances the reading experience for visitors?
The design of Xingtian Palace Beitou Library cleverly integrates natural environment and cultural elements into the space, creating a unique and comfortable reading experience. The following is a detailed analysis:Fusion of nature and architectureBringing outdoor landscape indoorsThe design integrates the natural scenery of Guandu Mountain into the building, using natural wood veneer to decorate the ceiling and walls, blurring the boundary between indoor and outdoor..The design of the atrium patio emphasizes the philosophical concept of "a round sky and a square earth", echoing the mutual dialogue between nature and culture.Dynamic effects of light and shadowThe grid structure and linear lighting design provide soft lighting and layered light and shadow interaction effects, creating a calm reading atmosphere..Functional zoning and diversity of spaceDiverse seating optionsProviding corner wooden benches and warm round lamps to create a coffee shop-like comfort, suitable for personal focused reading.The circular book area and stepped children's reading area enhance the fun and functionality of the space.The combination of culture and educationThe stepped bookcases and turf mats in the children’s area simulate nature and stimulate imagination.The Meditation Corridor and the Literature and History Corridor use philosophical and cultural symbols to allow visitors to calm their minds while reading and exploring.Deepening of design conceptsThe symbolic meaning of the bamboo square boxThe image of bamboo is used to symbolize books and culture, and vertical and horizontal lines are combined to create a richly layered reading space..Philosophical fusion of circle and squareThe concept of a round sky and a square earth is embodied through the architectural design, reminding visitors to find balance and harmony in their mind and behavior.overall impactThis kind of design is not only a display of visual aesthetics, but more importantly, it creates a place that can promote reading, contemplation and cultural exchange. Through natural light and shadow, cultural symbols and diverse space design, visitors can feel the resonance of nature and culture and enjoy the peace and enrichment of body and mind.
The Unique Reading Area Library seamlessly incorporates Chinese scroll bamboo elements to convey an image of rising steadily – what inspired you to blend this cultural element with modern library design, and how does it contribute to the space's contemplative atmosphere?
The inspiration for integrating Chinese scroll bamboo elements into modern library design comes from the cultural connotation and aesthetic value carried by this traditional material and form. Rolled bamboo is a light and flexible material that is closely connected with the traditional Chinese philosophy of nature, symbolizing resilience, softness and rising beauty. Here are a few key inspirations and effects of this design fusion:Source of inspiration:Contemporary interpretation of traditional culture:In Chinese culture, bamboo represents integrity, tenacity and rising spiritual character. In a library, a space for intellectual enlightenment and ideological exploration, the form of rolled bamboo can symbolize the infinite extension of human knowledge and wisdom.Dialogue between nature and architecture:The natural and sustainable characteristics of bamboo fit well with modern design concepts and are suitable as a design element that is both beautiful and functional. At the same time, it can bring users closer to nature and create a peaceful and comfortable atmosphere.The dual levels of vision and emotion:The streamlined structure and layered layout of rolled bamboo have strong visual appeal, can create rich light and shadow effects, and give people a feeling of tranquility and contemplation, which is in line with the library's need for tranquility and concentration.Creation of space atmosphere:Meditation and concentration:The scrolled bamboo elements form a visual sense of flow and spatial continuity through layered textures and soft tones, which can guide people's attention to internalize and promote concentration and contemplation.Enhanced sense of cultural hierarchy:Incorporating traditional elements into modern architecture can not only highlight cultural identity, but also inject more deep emotional connections into the space, allowing users to feel the dialogue between culture and modernity.Balance between functionality and aesthetics:Rolled bamboo is not only used as decoration, but can also be used in functional designs such as partitions, sunshades, and sound absorption to provide readers with a comfortable reading environment while avoiding visual and spatial oppression.This kind of design not only gives the library more cultural connotation, but also becomes a model of the perfect integration of tradition and modernity, allowing readers to feel the spiritual sublimation and cultural enlightenment brought by space design while exploring knowledge.
How did your commitment to environmental sustainability influence your decision to retain existing marble materials while creating the Unique Reading Area Library, and what challenges did you face in harmonizing these elements with your new design vision?
In designing the unique reading area library, a commitment to environmental sustainability became a core guiding principle, particularly in the decision to retain and reuse the existing marble material. The following are the considerations and implications behind this decision:1. Reduce material waste and environmental impactRetaining the existing marble material is a direct reflection of practicing sustainable design. The mining and processing of marble consumes a lot of energy, and if it is discarded or replaced, it will cause a waste of resources and increase carbon emissions. By retaining and repurposing materials, the life of materials can be extended and the environmental burden of the construction process reduced.2. Create harmony between old materials and new designsMarble is a durable and beautiful material that combines well with modern design elements. For example:Existing marble can be recut or polished and used to create tabletops, floor parquets or wall decorations.The combination of rolled bamboo elements and marble creates a design effect of contrast between softness and hardness, conveying the spatial aesthetics of interweaving nature and humanity.3. Respect the context and history of the siteWhile retaining the marble, it can highlight the historical characteristics and original design value of the building. This is a kind of respect for the spirit of the place, and also helps to balance the needs of modernization and cultural heritage during renovation.4. Encourage recycling of resourcesThrough innovative design methods, existing marble materials are given new functions and aesthetics. The recycling of resources is not only in line with the concept of sustainable development, but also injects unique stories and memories of the space into the library.5. The potential value of environmental educationAs a public space, the library not only carries the functions of reading and learning, but also has the mission of education and inspiration. Showing how to cleverly integrate old materials and new elements not only enhances the creativity of the design, but also conveys the concept of sustainable design to visitors and inspires more people to pay attention to environmental issues.in conclusionThe decision to retain the marble was a comprehensive consideration of environment, history and design responsibility. This approach not only continues the value of the existing materials, but also gives the space unique cultural connotation and aesthetic charm, reflecting an architectural design plan that takes into account both sustainability and creativity.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- The virtual and real hollows between the grilles connect the interlaced relationship between people and space, creating a sense of overlap between light, shadow and space. A large number of bookshelf designs use vertical and horizontal lines to structure the space, and use linear lighting to embellish, refract, penetrate, and focus, creating more aggregation spaces close to nature.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Project area is 860 square meter.Use different types of seats, including floor changes and different types of furniture, so that adults and children can freely choose reading positions according to their preferences, and also provide different height seat types according to children of different ages.
- Tags
- interior design, family, library, wood, warm, Taiwan
- Production Technology
- The designer uses natural wood veneer and white on the ceiling and walls to reduce the use of complicated materials, and guides the beauty of nature into the interior, making it a design that is not overly decorated, blurring the boundary between indoor and outdoor, and creating a people-oriented theme design.
The space uses marble floors, presenting the image of flowing clouds, flowing water and mist, forming a cultural atmosphere like ink painting, where people talk and communicate with books, creating more gathering spaces close to nature. In the library, you can feel the inner Calm and reading atmosphere. - Design Challenge
- The design needs to respond to the environment and building forms, and integrate the concept of the foundation, so that its presentation can be natural and harmonious without being too abrupt, and think about how to retain the marble materials used in some existing spaces, so as to achieve environmental protection and protect the earth's environment.
- Research
- The library is located in a quiet and natural environment.
The Foundation plans children's moral education and conducts parent-child learning activities, hoping to improve children's physical and mental development through parent-child activities such as reading together, reading pictures and telling stories, and creative aesthetics, so that children can grow like seedlings and become trees in the future, and promote family harmony and happiness. - Inspiration
- The field is surrounded by Chinese scroll bamboo elements, and the visual experience extending upward conveys the image of rising steadily. Let the people who come here settle down and start a good reading time.
The virtual and real hollows between the grilles connect the interlaced relationship between people and space, creating a sense of overlap between light, shadow and space. - Project Duration
- The project started in October 2021 and finished in November 2022 in Taiwan, Taipei City.
- Operation Flow
- The reading area is like a natural environment. There are stepped bookcases like small hills, and there are round and funny sofas and seats like pebbles. It seems to be sitting in nature, reading the environment freely, and wandering in the sea of books. The space is matched with low light color blocks and warm wood grains, so that children can read comfortably. Movable furniture is also used to trigger children's imagination.
- Patents
- All images: Yana Zhezhela and Alek Vatagin / Cheng Hui Hsin(Design director)/Beitou parent-child library attached to Xingtian Temple,Taipei
- Team Members
- Design Director :Cheng Hui Hsin and
Designer : Lin Wan Ju
Designer :Liu Yi Tseng - Image Credits
- All images: Yana Zhezhela and Alek Vatagin / Cheng Hui Hsin(Design director)/Beitou parent-child library attached to Xingtian Temple,Taipei
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