THE INTIMATE STEPS - GOSAN LIBRARY

International Competition Entry (UIA)

Client: Daegu Architectural Culture Confederation
Program:  Public Library
Team:  MMK+ Inho Seo, Eunil Cho
Location: Daegu, Korea

 Once focused primarily on individualized information consumption, today’s library seeks for the deliberate attitude towards both absorbing and disseminating the information knowledge, while allowing inter-communicative system within.  The Intimate Steps encourages interactive network, by its spatial nature, in an attempt to ease the gap for information use and access.
Here the pairing of stadium and library has led to another possibility: stadium’s candid openness of the structure – a view oriented landscape surrounded by spectators, and the possessive character of library that houses collection of knowledge.

Programmatically broken platforms are raised on each appropriate level, in resemblance the mixture of the stairs and bookcases, which are laid out within the grand open-space. Individually broken slab (or unit) functions versatile – levels to step on, to sit on, to lean, to place or position informative materials, to play, to exhibit, or to support the structure - integrating the service of the library and its architecture.

Hence, the organization of the programs depend on its physical activities within the library; providing an opportunity for both the library users and the staffs to naturally encounter.  Although the main spaces are located in the certain “zone”, scattering the book stacks and dispersing the programs throughout the library blurs the boundary - transforming silent reading rooms into a single interactive living room.