Daegu Gosan Public Library Competition Entry / Various Architects

Daegu Gosan Public Library Competition Entry / Various Architects
Courtesy of Viktor Kopeikin, Pavel Zabotin, Anna Kosharnaya, and Andrian Sokolovsky

With the library as one of the most ancient architectural types that symbolizes human strive to fixate, collect and preserve knowledge, this proposal for the Daegu Gosan Public Library is based on the concept of a stone monolith as storage of the most important cultural knowledge and historical heritage. Designed by Viktor Kopeikin, Pavel Zabotin, Anna Kosharnaya, and Andrian Sokolovsky, the building of the library is synthesized due to symbiosis of the traditional (identical) and transnational (globalistic). More images and architects’ description after the break.

Nowadays cultural identity and ways of its implementation in modern architecture and design is one of the most complicated and challenging issues. This issue is not very serious in countries and regions that are actively joining global networks (cultural, economic, etc.). Can we speak of identity today? Should we base modern architecture concepts on the idea of regionalism? This project is a professional attempt to find answers to these questions. Besides, libraries were used for extremely important process of information transmittance. Emergence of this type of public building showed cultural blossoming of civilizations.

Courtesy of Viktor Kopeikin, Pavel Zabotin, Anna Kosharnaya, and Andrian Sokolovsky

Today, in the age of digital technologies and networks the process of spreading information became global. Today with the help of internet and technological devices people can receive information without leaving their houses. So it is necessary to review cultural meaning and functional content of libraries as architectural type. It is the primary nucleus that symbolizes Korean nation’s basic values, the sarcophagus where both local and the whole world literature is preserved. Here the main collection is kept with the help of automated system. It answers visitors’ questions and distributes books through the portals placed at each level of the library. So, readers can observe the life of the storage from the side, see thousands of books and mechanical hands cautiously transferring them from the cell and giving them to readers or placing them back.

Courtesy of Viktor Kopeikin, Pavel Zabotin, Anna Kosharnaya, and Andrian Sokolovsky

The library is formed around the storage, and is developed spirally upward, but it is separated from the storage thus emphasizing sacral nature of the central nucleus. Library is its white background. Image of a “white cube” is the symbol of modern globalized culture. The whole volume of the library is lifted over the park level. This creates additional space for communication, a public zone for cultural events and shows (fashion shows, art exhibitions, lounge parties). Water pool separates central nucleus from the park level creating natural air circulation in summer and additional ventilation of the building. Glass panels in the lower and upper parts of the building open automatically creating natural ventilation due to the pool cooling air flows. The project also envisages roof construction with edges with inside batter to the central nucleus thus collecting water that fills the pool through inner drainage. Excess water is used for irrigation of the park.

Courtesy of Viktor Kopeikin, Pavel Zabotin, Anna Kosharnaya, and Andrian Sokolovsky

A dynamic façade covers the whole building of the library. Pixel smart screen matrix serves to expose or hide the nucleus if the library. The library is a transforming organism that reacts to changing light and temperature. Besides, each visitor can regulate opacity of the glass panel in various zones of the building. Thus due to smart glass light and temperature can be regulated in the library, which increases energy effectiveness of the building. Library space is changed from outside to the inside from dynamically changing façade plane through modified space of reading halls to the static storage volume.

Courtesy of Viktor Kopeikin, Pavel Zabotin, Anna Kosharnaya, and Andrian Sokolovsky

Library in its modern interpretation is the most important symbol of cultural unity of the nation. In this project we underline the role of this architectural type as the image of the traditional (country) Korean society. Design of the library’s inner space enables maximal communication between the visitors. The library becomes the central nucleus of Daegu city community. Thus this project is a symbiosis of the idea of cultural identity, global networks concept and the latest technology that allows to create buildings as self-servicing systems. We see buildings of the future as combination of traditions as the basis and transnational as its structural shell we see public buildings of the future.

Courtesy of Viktor Kopeikin, Pavel Zabotin, Anna Kosharnaya, and Andrian Sokolovsky

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Cite: Alison Furuto. "Daegu Gosan Public Library Competition Entry / Various Architects" 28 Oct 2012. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/279543/daegu-gosan-public-library-competition-entry-various-architects> ISSN 0719-8884

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