jining library
Our design aims to design a massive stone block, that is carved out by these different influences. First the entrance 'eats away' at one corner, and pushes its way through the building towards the lake, seperating the main volume for archive, and the seperated event and conference area in the north. In a second step a long flight of stairs defines the western facade, serving as a vertical connection, but also offering reading space in a casual athmosphere. Lastly the top floor is the most porous space, that offers more reading areas in combination with a 360 degree view.
The opening building of the Jining Culture Center will be the library. For that reason three elements will influence this building:
1 The cascading stairs to the north
2 The square on top of the elevated platform on the east
3 The landscape with the view towards the lake on the west
On the upper floors several voids are introduced, to increase the feeling of walking through a porous stone, but also to allow light to penetrate the lower levels.
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The lighting conditions determine the function distributions, around the internal bright spots small reading groups are clustered, whereas the darker areas house the archive, in order to protect the books from damage.
The floor on the level of the central platform features conference spaces, the lobby and the children's library, that can be accessed directly from the public space, or through the lobby.
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On this floor is also the starting point of the bookstairs, that lead along the entire western facade.
