SONGDO International lIBRARY

Incheon, Korea

Compeition Entry

2021

More than any other `third place' the library is perhaps the most essential in its ability to serve so many functions, some yet to be developed. Libraries not only provide information and books, but they also connect communities, by providing important resources, jobs, education, health - often to a diverse urban population. As we have observed around the world in 2020, these functions go well beyond fulfilling day to day needs - they support local economies and basic public services. At the same time, real questions are raised about the state of some libraries today. Some struggle to attract people in a non-function-driven mode - often competing with other privately owned and commercialized `public spaces.' Further, for many individuals, information is now at their fingertips via the internet - resulting in a reduced necessity, for some segments of the population, to go to the library. The libraries of the future must respond to these conditions in the most adaptable yet visceral way, for them to thrive as community hubs for many years to come. The libraries have the most potential to unify people through shared experience and shared history, countering isolation and misinformation and bridging the divide of inequalities.

The goal is to design such an empowering place. Thus, the proposed library is primarily conceived as an experience, a place anyone would want to go for the simple pleasure of being there. It is an understatement to say that people crave experience and human interaction. We know more than ever that it is a necessary component of a healthful human existence. Yet, some urban contexts have been so systematically designed - getting us from point A to B- from car to elevator to destination - that it no longer is able to support that human need. Those that can, do so, by seeking out richer experiences outside of their daily urban routines. The design aims to create such an experience within the microcosm of the free public library, within the city, within the context of everyday.

This is done through the manifestation of a few key concepts: the juxtaposition of the urban form (artificial) with the organic void (life) as spatial definitions; the carving out of a central landscape space and the focus on movement and views as the connecting experience. Starting at the street level, sweeping large granite steps and berms encourage you to climb - as you would climb a hilly island. Visitors then discover a large central gathering space, a place to get oriented, engaged in activity or simply find personal quiet and rest, much like an oasis at the beginning of a journey. At this point the spiral flow is revealed. The walls and built street edges have given way to a natural, organic space that is flexible and accommodative, sensory, and open to life.

Upon entering the library, the slow spiral ascension continues leading you through the different areas of the library, prompting exploration and new discoveries. Initially the spaces along the path focuses attention inward to the gathering space. As the spiral lifts off the ground, the path reorients you to views beyond the site in all directions reconnecting you with the ocean and the islands beyond. This interplay between the inner core - a sheltered circular, unifying space - and the expansive views of the outside world create a multitude of experiences along a shared path. Ultimately the rooftop education garden is arrived at through this physical engagement with the space. As Confucius said,

"When I hear I forget, When I see Iremember, When I do, I understand".

Programmatic Ascension and Functionality

Building on the concept of ascension, the core library program develops along the spiral pathway from the children's section to the multimedia to the education garden. When experienced from beginning to end, the journey is intended to engage you with the diversity of age groups and specific learning experiences that are brought together at the library. It is a microcosm of the pathway of lifelong learning. At the same time, the design recognizes the criticality of certain functional adjacencies, accessibility, and flexibility for the future. At the ground level, the learning spaces may be directly accessed from the street and the parking, as a stand-alone facility. Similarly, the loading, preservation and administration areas can function independently (while connected internally), securely tucked away from the public elements and sheltered by the berms. Elevators from both wings (education and administration) connect directly to the lobby and exhibition pavilion respectively, providing easy, direct access where it is most needed. The spaces at this lowest level may utilize flexible partitions to accommodate changing requirements.

The second level adjacencies are also highly functional. The children's area is most easily seen and accessed from the lobby and education areas. It directly connects to the central landscape space with views to the kindergarten and Academy Road. Families may easily flow from the stacks and reading areas to an activity in the central outdoor space or in the exhibition area. The main outdoor space is envisioned as a landscaped `park' that may host a variety of activities such as large theatrical events, community tai chi sessions, outdoor classes, and flea markets. Some areas under the sloping building offer ample storage and technical support spaces for such activities. The exhibition and café pavilion are positioned at the northeast corner directly above the loading, for maximum flexibility in operation, allowing certain activities to continue well past library hours of operation.

Local Conditions and Global Context

In considering the placement and orientation of this experience on the site, two major influences were considered: the immediate adjacencies and the unique opportunity to connect with the islands and waters that surround Songdo. The intent is to maximize the potentialities of both by strengthening the urban character at the street while reinforcing a sense of place by providing expansive views. First, on the more accessible Convensia Daero 302 Beon-gil street, the steps are placed immediately adjacent to the drop off and access point to the kindergarten in the northwest corner. This is envisioned as a gateway, and critical connection point between the two facilities which could be highly synergistic. The children's drop off/pick up area may extend to the steps of the library activating both before and after school hours. This is seen as the more urban, active corner of the site, also connecting to the residential communities and the University. The grand steps lead directly to the central space and provide a 24-7cross-block axis to Academy Road and the future park, further encouraging pedestrian activity in the area. On the southeast corner, the connection to the street is gentler, with the lush landscape providing a visual respite from the car centric Academy Road. The berm seamlessly links the park to the east to the proposed, landscaped central space of the library, expanding both spaces into one connected experience.

Once in the building, the focus slowly transitions to the world beyond, via the façade which shifts in levels of transparency, frames views and filters light throughout the day. The specific sequence of views and the orientation of the pathways from lobby to the rooftop educational garden contextualizes your experience to the larger situation: a meeting point between the man-made island of Songdo and the coastal waters beyond with scattered natural islands. Upon entering the lobby, you are oriented south and start to catch a glimpse of the views beyond the children area- back towards the city, inland to the urban context. The children's spaces and the initial library experience are south facing with ample, controlled, sunlight for the longest period during the day. As you wind along the pathway, past the various spaces - there are glimpses through the spaces of the park to the east, and the golf course to the north. Finally, the reading room and lounge elevates you above the rest of the building, allowing for views to both the north (coastal waters) and the south (city). The rooftop education garden entices you to approach the edge of the building with its expansive views of the coastline and beyond. For those native to the island, the experience may evoke memories and reflection, while for those new to the island, it is an exciting place of discovery.