- Year: 2010
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Photographs:Seunghoon Yum
Text description provided by the architects. The new Chungwoon University Library needed to incorporate multiple functions including a conventional library program along with an exhibition hall, lecture hall, president room, chairman of the board room, and typical office space. The architects therefore approached the library design with the outlook that this would be the heart of the university. With a south facing mountain view, various levels of natural light, fresh air, and landscape views help create an environment conducive to reading and researching. The large sloped sight was nicely integrated into the new built environment with multiple stepped terraces. After the break are photographs and drawings of this project.
When evaluating the site the architects noted that, "it is located at the hill between traffic intersection on the south side and pine tree forest on the north side. The slope of the site is facing the south with a nice mountain view at a distance. On the west side across the road, there are classroom buildings, and on the north side across the pine forest, there are couple of buildings including dormitory and classroom buildings. It is the challenge of the site how to make the pleasant environment condition for the library by using the slope of the site."
"University is a place for the study and self research." Architects Hyun Joon Yoo coordinated with DANU and approached the design for the library in the following manner. "We started the building design from the library which is most important program of the given programs. The site is facing the south and has a mountain view at a distance. We defined that the ideal life style at the library is reading a book by the window with a natural view, getting fresh air and sunshine at the terrace right in front of the reading room from time to time. Therefore, we created a stepped terrace mass and located the reading zone along the window with a mountain view, and located the book stock which requires the shadow zone for protecting the books at the rear side far away from the window."
Having to design both an office mass and a library mass creating a harmonious building was a challenge. "We started the design with the library because we definitely wanted to have a library with a terrace garden. That was our first step of design. Second step was to locate the huge mass of the office building with a lecture hall. And we still have a big chunk of book stocks left. Because of the tight size of the given site, all of these programs have to be located above the library. The office and book stock above literary blocked the natural light and wind reaching the library. In order to solve this problem, we split the mass and create a void space to let the light and wind penetrating the mass."
