Mailiao Township Biblioteca, centro culturale

Press Kit

Unique Properties

The library entrance is low and gradually rises toward a central atrium, where senior and children's reading zones sit. Varying heights, scales, and steps define areas, while ramps link levels and shift perspectives. A digital reading mezzanine offers a pause before the second floor. Visitors enjoy views of farmland or the sunlit atrium, with quiet zones under one roof. Brickwork patterns wrap the upper façades, while recessed glass at ground level blurs indoor and outdoor, emphasizing horizontality.

Dimensions & Packaging

The total building area is 23,474 square meters, the site area is 5,404 square meters, and the total floor area is 11,156 square meters. The design centers on functionality. Two buildings, the Aesthetic Living Center and the Library, surround the egg-shaped central courtyard. The Living Center provides exhibitions and lifelong learning for the community. The Library, serving a coastal area with an aging population, focuses on seniors' and children's needs.

Tags

Brick, Cultural Sustainability, Aesthetic Incubation Plaza, Semi-Outdoor Design, Local Revitalization, Energy-Efficient Architecture

Production Technology

The design team selected one of the most humble yet emotionally resonant materials, brick. Widely used in Taiwan's rural architecture, brick evokes strong cultural memory. Traditional rural pigsties often used ventilated brickwork for airflow and light, exemplifying early green design.
Bricks are earth-based, tactile, and expressive, but have been largely replaced by industrial tile in modern urban settings. The project revives the nearly lost craft by reinterpreting brick in a contemporary language, transforming a 'nostalgic' material into a timeless cultural medium.

Design Challenge

Architecture is more than a spatial container; it is a cultural witness and a recorder of its time. The biggest challenge was ensuring that the architecture 'spoke the language of the people.' The design team sought an expression that could transcend age and language, conveying deep cultural values. Though brick was chosen as the main material, transforming this 'old-fashioned' element into a contemporary, accessible symbol of collective memory required precise design sensibility and cultural sensitivity.

Research

When architecture becomes a vessel of culture, it becomes a dialogue between people and place. In coastal Yunlin, this library and aesthetic living center blend historical depth with future values. Climate-responsive design, deep overhangs, layered walls, and semi-outdoor zones ensure comfort. The two buildings form a shaded plaza for gathering. Brick facades recall rural roots while bridging past and present. Promoting cultural sustainability and everyday aesthetics, the space invites learning, creativity, and belonging.

Inspiration

Located in southwest Yunlin's Mailiao Township, the site faces strong sun and coastal winds. The design adopts climate-responsive strategies, semi-outdoor spaces, double-layered walls, and deep overhangs to reduce heat and ensure year-round comfort. The park includes two main buildings: the Aesthetic Living Center and Library, forming an egg-shaped central courtyard, the 'Aesthetic Incubation Plaza.' This shared space offers shade, wind protection, and fosters social interaction.

Project Duration

The project finished in September 2022 in Taiwan.

Operation Flow

The dual cores, library, and aesthetic living center form a shared cultural facility. The central Aesthetic Incubation Plaza connects the two buildings, offering both climatic comfort and social interaction. Rooted in local climate and demographics, the design responds to seniors and children while using brick to preserve and reinterpret cultural memory. The result is a meaningful community landmark, serving both as a platform for everyday learning and a starting point for Mailiao's cultural revitalization.

Image Credits

C.M.Chao. Architect & Planners