How One Library Doubles As A Design Destination In Funing, China

2024 Best of Year Winner for Library

In+Out Architects was tasked with designing Fuyou Library of Poetry and Books, an 8,600-square-foot library highlighting the theme of exploration, in White Swan Park in Funing, China, a location with prime lakefront views. The plan orients the action toward the water, allowing direct access to it from the park plaza courtesy of a semiporous ground level. At one end of the building, an impressively large staircase doubles as sheltered bleacher seating, encouraging visitors to engage with the lake. Woven through the minimalist interior, touches of greenery and timber elements drawn from the natural surroundings are meant to stimulate the mind and create a boundaryless place for read­ing and active exploration. Movable island cabinets enhance spatial adaptability, while curved ceiling lights abet wayfinding, guiding visitors toward various experiences. Among them are a library-within-a-library hidden behind translucent orange walls, a place for children to nurture their imaginations.

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PROJECT TEAM: LIU HUIMIN; YIN CHANG.