Library Buildings around the World

eading room will be able to enjoy the vast green treetop view through large glass taking advantage of horizontal openings facing the
city’s greenbelt. The folding facade reaches out for sunshine and creates shadows to enrich the building’s elevations. Inspired by
dotted light pattern of sunlight through tree leaves, the design proposes a series of round shaped openings spread out over the roof to
allow for indirect sunlight and ventilation for energy saving. (Pan)
Founder´s Memorial Library, Chinese Culture University, Taipei – Taiwan 1999
Awards:
1999 Quality Excellence Award, National Public Construction Annual Award
The University wishes to erect a library in memory of its founder, Chang Chi-Yun, near the main entrance of its main Campus
opposite the existing building, Ta-Cheng House. The site has a fine view of Sha-Mau Mountain to its north, and borders the Hwa-
Kang residential community to its east. The land rises with a gentle slope from east to west resulting in over four meters of difference
in height; the building was thus designed with dual level access. On the west, a main entrance plaza on the second floor level is
enclosed by a U-shaped group of structures which protect the outdoor area from the strong winter wind, at the same time engaging
Ta-Cheng House to form a central courtyard; on the east, a secondary landscaped plaza is provided on the ground level where town
and gown may meet and mingle. An university bookstore and the service entrance for the library are both located here. The new
group of buildings is 11 stories high with 2 basement levels. Building heights vary from north to south: the north wing is four stories,
containing a 200-seat conference hall on the plaza level with auxiliary meeting rooms and reception space below and an art museum
above; the L-shaped east and south wings contain the memorial library from 1st through 7th floors, housing a collection of 1,000,000
volumes and accommodating about 1,040 seats, while the south wing continues to rise to 11th floors for research and administration.
Independent entries are provided for the different users. Parking for 168 cars and 832 motorcycles are provided underground. Steel
structure precast panel exterior walls are the main systems. The pitched roofs harmonizes with existing buildings, but terminate in
triangulated open lattice-work, partly to fulfill building code requirement for roof level exit, and to add a contemporary touch with a
spirit of reform. Total floor area 36,680 sq.m., construction cost NT$900,000,000. Completion date is May 1998. * Joint Venture
Architect: Chiu-Hwa Wang. (Pan)
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