Patterned aluminium panels wrap the stepped exterior of the Tainan Public Library, which Dutch studio Mecanoo and local office MAYU Architects have completed in southern Taiwan.
The 37,000-square-metre library, located in the city of Tainan, houses over a million books, alongside collections of music, films and modern art.
Its palatial, staggered form was designed by Mecanoo and MAYU Architects to pay homage to local vernacular, including the city s old temples with cantilevered roofs.
Above: Tainan Public Library references local temples. Top image: it has an inverted stepped form The oldest city in Taiwan, Tainan has a rich history influenced by different cultures, explained Mecanoo.
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Tainan Public Library
Mecanoo and MAYU’s design for the Tainan Public Library represents the meeting of cultures, generations and histories. Inspired by the local culture and designed for the tropical climate of Tainan. It is home to the city s cultural heritage, modern art, music, films and over a million books, including more than 16,000 from the Japanese occupation period and of course, is equipped with the latest technologies of a modern library.
The most striking feature is the inverted stepped shape of the library. Slender columns support the cantilevers in rhythmically placed quartets, giving a feeling of weaving your way through a modern bamboo forest. The striking crown of the building is surrounded by vertical aluminium slats with carved flower patterns, which are reminiscent of the decorative latticed windows in the old town. These slats filter the light and keep the heat out. In the evening, this unique facade is recognizable from afar.
2021/01/02 17:15 Tainan Public Library. (Facebook, Tainan Lohas photo) Tainan Public Library. (Facebook, Tainan Lohas photo) TAIPEI (Taiwan News) The main branch of Tainan Public Library opened in southern Taiwan Saturday morning (Jan. 2) and is expected to bring more international attention to the country. Located in Yongkang District, the new library cost approximately NT$1.93 billion (US$67.7 million) to build, according to the Tainan Cultural Affairs Bureau. It has the country s largest self-service station, providing readers with 24-hour access to the library and allowing them to check out and return materials after opening hours. The library comprises six above-ground floors and two below. It houses about 600,000 books, including 500 for the visually impaired and 16,000 authored during the Japanese colonial era.