Programme : Library

Location : # 115-2, Songdo-dong, Yeonsu-gu, Incheon (in Songdo International City)

Site Area : 9,427.4m²

Surface : 8,237.8m²

Year : 2021

Client : Yeonsu-gu Office, Incheon Metropolitan City

Partners : Reset Studio

Status : Design Competition

The project site is located on the west side of Incheon Free Economic Zone where several projects are planned up to 2030. It is on the intersection of different zones facing sports zone directly on the south and high-rise housing zone on the north. The urban density contrast is quite remarkable on the site between these two different zones.  Despite the vast green area of the golf club, one cannot easily sense the presence of the nature due to the wide streets and the distance.  

SONGDO KNOWLEDGE FARM  

Urban farms and gardens in the heart of the library  

The role of library today doesn’t stop at the traditional function as a book reservoir but to enlarge its meaning and social influence as of community center to promote the people’s active participation.

In the center of the project, the large educational urban farms and gardens are proposed that are gently surrounded by the library public areas.  This marriage of architecture and nature transform the library an organic community garden.

It is to provide a place for the community to grow, share, learn and cultivate the knowledge and the plants together. This reflects also the idea that the library space as a social community regroupement area and enhances the social gatherings of various activities in the public spaces.

These library farms and gardens inspire people to collaborate through gardening and farming enlarging the role of library from reservoir to community center of cultivation and education.

The preservation of green space also makes it possible the library to remain free and open space for the public.

The main library entrance area is widely open to the Convensia street with its transparent façade. In the middle of the building, direct access to the center public area is provided.  Also the direct access to the exhibition area and book cafe invites various people to the facilities.

The lobby area is designed intentionally large with limited number of barriers and walls to achieve the versatility of the space that can be used as temporary exposition space, event area, etc.

In the center area, outside of library entrance gate, various culture classrooms are proposed accessible through the center gardens.

All internal library spaces are placed surrounding the center patio.  

As soon as reached to the basement level, «Event Patio» welcomes the visitors with its large dimensions. General material areas are comprised of periodicals, local materials, elderly and disabled materials and general materials. Together with the «READIN PATIO», two areas are open to the sky under the ramps that allows the indirect natural lights even in the deep spaces.  Infant and children material users have their own patio that is separated from the other patios.

In this unique library, community people of all generations will learn, communicate, grow and cultivate their knowledge in the inside and also in the outside of facilities.

S.S.A (SuperString Architecture)