This is an extension and renovation project of an existing cultural center built in 1983 and located in the middle of the Millennium Park of Pingtung City. The main objective of transformation is to introduce transparency and accessibility to the once hermetic building and disoriented landscaping.
At urban scale, a transparent new lobby is proposed and attached to the western side of the existing building. It turns the architectural axis and approach 90 degree in order to make the library face the city directly. Instead of going through series of formal boulevard and plaza, the new approach guides visitors wandering through the forest and arcades before entering the library. Therefore, the architecture can be more attuned to the physical and psychological conditions of contemporary library readers.
The new lobby is a parallelogram plan and supported by continuous V-shaped steel structure. Several “activity Islands” are arranged, including a sunken seating area, a floating mezzanine, and a pair of suspended lanterns. The expanded glass curtain walls link the interior to the exterior, showing the activities of the library to the city and vice versa.
At architectural scale, by transforming the original entrance lobby into a wooden reading room and three levels of compact book storage into a bright multi-functional atrium, the originally fragmented and congested building becomes fluid and identifiable. Two distinct stairs, one spiral and one stair-seating, complete the reader’s circulation while providing various seating types and opportunities along the journey. Taking advantage of the surrounding park views, open plan and materiality, the library programs and furniture deployments can achieve individuality, flexibility and a sense of intimacy.
The exterior of the original structure is remodeled by cladding white aluminum panels and louvers. An arcade is extended from the original entrance to function as an in-between space between the reading room and the lawn, which was transformed from the depleted entrance plaza. The new landscape design connects the library seamlessly to its surrounding park and therefore invites more citizens to use this new public space regardless of their purposes.