This proposal for the Daegu Gosan Public Library aims to reconsider the relationship between an institution as a closed container and the public space surrounding it.
Project Name: Daegu Gosan Public Library
Architect: Martin Fenlon Architecture
Location: Daegu, South Korea
Area: 3,100 sqm
Project Year: 2012
Exterior Renderings (views 1-4): bioLINIA
All other Drawings & Renderings: Martin Fenlon Architecture
The open public space, to be enjoyed by the local residents, is nested within the solid enclosure which shelters the information and resources of the institution. The space of the park, which runs along the street to the north of the library, dramatically wraps around the enclosure in the form of an exterior public promenade, culminating in a public terrace above.
The bottom cantilever of the promenade continues the surface of the park space while the top cantilever serves as a sun shade. There is a stark material contrast between the two exterior skins, separately defining the form of the enclosure and the void of the promenade. The weathered steel of the enclosure would age to a matte orange similar to that found in traditional Korean temples, while the metallic surfaces of the promenade would reflect images of the city back to itself.
Internally, the library is organized around a central atrium which connects the entry and park in front to the sky above through a spiraling ascent. This atrium also serves the important function of acting as a solar chimney, where excess hot air rises up and escapes out of the ventilated roof. Beginning at the main entry, a grand stair progresses upwards and eventually culminates in a double-height reading room that syncs up with the public terrace outside. It is here where the quiet consumption of information inside and the spectacle of public space outside share the exceptional view of the city beyond.
