2013 BOY Winner: Public Library

The facade’s gray brick may be urban, even sober, but the welcoming interiors are enlivened by references to nature and history. Ray Zhou made views and light, both characteristic of traditional Chinese courtyard architecture, priorities at this community amenity. The 280,000-square-foot building forms a U around a reflecting pool crossed both at ground level, by stepping stones, and on the second story, by a glass-walled bridge housing a computer room. (The wing on the other side of the bridge is a cultural center with a 500-seat theater.) Wood found multiple applications, from the top of the desks to the canopy hovering above them. Zhou went beyond wood, to whole trees, in the whimsical children’s area, where abstracted branches sprout from the round structural columns. Other child-friendly touches include birdcage-shape pendant fixtures and lower-than-usual shelving.

Project Team:
Vera Chu; Garvin Hung; Zhao Jun He.