Mailiao Township 圖書館、文化中心 by Mailiao Township, Zoom Design and C.M.Chao

Mailiao Township 圖書館、文化中心 by Mailiao Township, Zoom Design and C.M.Chao is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award 銅獎 in 建築、樓宇及結構設計 Competition Category.

銅建築· 2026

Mailiao Township 圖書館、文化中心

by Mailiao Township, Zoom Design and C.M.Chao

Client: C.M.Chao. Architect & Planners

A' Design Award 銅獎 Winner in 建築 Category

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Verified Award Winner

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View at A' Design Award Press Release Award Badge

Colors

The Design

About Mailiao Township 圖書館、文化中心

麥寮鄉係位於台灣雲林沿海嘅一個文化園區，設有圖書館同文化生活中心。兩座建築物圍住一個蛋形庭院——美學孕育廣場，為人哋遮擋猛烈嘅陽光同海邊嘅強風。深挑簷、雙層牆身同半戶外空間令全年都保持舒適。上層外牆採用台灣鄉郊沿用已久嘅磚材包覆，而地面層嘅內凹玻璃就將室內同室外連繫起嚟。圖書館嘅規劃圍繞住長者同小朋友嘅需要而設計。

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award 銅獎

Mailiao Township 圖書館、文化中心是 A' Design Award 銅獎得主，這是授予以創造力、獨創性和敏銳見長的傑出設計的極具聲望的認可。銅獎得主是技藝嫻熟、創意驚人的作品，印證了其設計師豐富的經驗、想像力與機智。預計Mailiao Township 圖書館、文化中心將成為一件備受推崇、令人欽佩且被珍愛的物品，兼具顯著的專業性與創新性。這件贏得 A' Design Award 銅獎的設計融入藝術、科學、設計和技術領域的最佳實踐，並因注重細節而出類拔萃。Mailiao Township 圖書館、文化中心出色地滿足需求，觸動渴望，迷住情感，並吸引好奇心。

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

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.
Team Members: Mailiao township office, Zoom Design Atelier, C.M.Chao. Architect & Planners
Image Credits: C.M.Chao. Architect & Planners