This is not just a library, not just an 83-year-old bathhouse monument, not just a cultural venue.
Taking the inspiration from a drop bathhouse, pick up a book from the bookshelf made of stacked birch plywood, sink it in. The plywood reveals a gentle light that accompanies people like a book bath, immerse them in invisible thoughts. Words recording speeches, speeches shaping the communication between the inspiration and creativity between inner hearts and mind. Here, it doesn’t just serve the purpose of personal gatherings, the possibilities are indefinite, from concerts, lectures, extension stages, transforming the concept of an original bathhouse into an experimental showcase of literature.
Following down the stairways uncovers the half-a-century old bathhouse that was for female employers at a tobacco factory, where they used to wash off the tobaccos sticking to their bodies. The vintage tiles on the wall, mottled with the years, retain the traces of past life, adorned with golden details to present the beauty of wabi-sabi; respect the imperfections and architectural limitations of historic buildings without adding more steel bars and screws. The sun shines on the ventilated patio and the suspended steel cable woven arc lighting reflects each other, blooming downward, illuminating the modern thoughts, time and years. The preserved arc bath and the modern book pool present a combination of the new and the old, space. To continuously pass down the timelessness of history.
The inner space of the garden has a private and tranquil atmosphere. The texture of time is imprinted on the surrounding walls, letting go of superfluous expressions and anti avant-garde materials that urge people to consciously let go of superfluous things. The branches and leaves spreading upward, up to four meters high, spreading out a touch of light in between, and the sun shone and shone among the translucent green leaves of the treetop. The mixed plants are juxtaposed and blended with the historical wall. Different levels of greenery are set against the ash of the gravel. In this simple and harmonious space, light, shadow and form all show graceful temperament. At night, when the trees and flowers are illuminated by floor lamps, the garden seems to be immersed in a mysterious and silent world, quietly revealing the history.
It is with the hope that words are seen as mist and knowledge is seen as water, to represent the spirit of bathing: thoughts, considerations and self-growth of gratitude to be transformed into the cultural heritage and radiate outward.
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A design library that reopens its door from what was once an old Japanese bath house.
Kuo-Min Lee
We didn't just want to fix up the heritage, but to compliment it, story telling it.
Kuo-Min Lee
A harmony between heritage, the newly inserted library, natural air, and the garden outside.
Kuo-Min Lee
Using 160 strings, and paper clip details, to hang the lighting from the protected building
Kuo-Min Lee
The outside garden opened for the first time to public in 83 years
Kuo-Min Lee
The circular bathing design allows the library to hosts events up to 100 people, or just the simple pleasure of sinking in enjoying being surrounded by the books.
Kuo-Min Lee
The 83 year old bath house rebirthed for Not Just library
Kuo-Min Lee
Heritage protection forces us to look at a new way of lighting solutions
Kuo-Min Lee
A balance between old and new, to still savor the flavor of an old bathhouse.
Kuo-Min Lee
The library floor is raised to match the original window sill, forming a bridge to the outside garden
Kuo-Min Lee
The entrance to the library, an uphill climb to feel the gravity of knowledge
Kuo-Min Lee
Initial sketch of a sink in reading space
J.C. Architecture
The bathhouse of books
J.C. Architecture
Thinking about movement and connection to outside
J.C. Architecture
Landscaping connection and flow of spaces
J.C. Architecture
The floorplan
J.C. Architecture
Original sketch of lighting structure
J.C. Architecture
Light structure plan to test its sketch inside
J.C. Architecture
160 hanging lines to conserve and protect the heritage building
Taipei
Taiwan
Taiwan Design Research Institute
06/2020
436 m2
J.C. Architecture+Motif Planning & Design Consultants
Johnny Chiu (Lead Designer)/ Nora Wang (Lead Designer) / Shu-yuan Wu (Landscape Designer)/ Macoto Cheng (Lead Designer) / Aaron Lee (Team Designer)
J.C. Architecture
Kuo Min Lee
Curriculum
JC Architecture, a multidisciplinary firm that operates from Taiwan and States, only at its 10th year coming back from Columbia, with an entrepreneurial spirit and 200+ built projects, the firm has won the World Architecture Festival/INSIDE Interior of the Year award, Red Dot Best of Best, Dezeen Award, etc. The firm is also being voted top 25 Architectural firms in Taiwan, and selected for 40 under 40 awards by Perspective Global.
"We love to help clients to find their new possibilities, think ahead, and break boundaries." Their latest adventure includes the design of a new train for Taiwan Railways.
