Pinghe Bibliotheater / OPEN Architecture
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Text description provided by the architects. Pinghe Bibliotheater is at the heart of OPEN’s latest project – School as Village / Shanghai Qingpu Pinghe International School. A library, a theater, and a black box come together like a Chinese puzzle to create this character building that some call ‘the blue whale’ and others see it as a ship. The unique design of the building and the free-flowing spaces not only nurture students’ interests in reading and achievement, but also stimulate their imagination to move freely in ocean of knowledge.
The Bibliotheater is next to an important corner of this school-town, at the junction of a large capital and an old canal. The slate roof with pointed horizons, vessel portholes as round windows, and an attractive blue color leave a strong impression on passers-by.
When we received the extensive and comprehensive program of a new school for 2000 students between the ages of 3 and 18, the immediate response was how awful it would be for a child to spend those great years established. in one building. We decided to break away from the current trend of school-as-megastructure. Instead, the original program was rebuilt and assembled in many smaller buildings, creating a city-like environment. Library and theater marriage stemmed from the architect’s belief that the broad act of reading and thinking, and the act of feeling through displays, should be an integral part of education but are often overlooked in education systems. under trial. The unique features of these two programs and the individual physical needs came to inform the design of the building.
Above and below. The proscenium theater and the black box, which require the least natural light and the most noisy solitude, are in the lower and middle middle part of the building, while the library is in the upper part. A curve of different reading spaces rises and falls according to the different heights of the books below, creating a platform spatial array that ends at a central reading space surrounded by books. and light.
Introvert and Extrovert. Reading experience is inevitable and very personal. Contradicting readers from early years to young adults, the architect created many comfortable reading zones of various features. A covered roof garden gives children a new lease of life and an outdoor reading area when the weather allows.
The experience of performing in theaters, on the other hand, is incredibly interesting. The main entrance to the theater is where the building is generously cut to create a theater opening. The installation of warm wood panels and deep blue walls create an inspiring viewing hall. The café plays an important role on the ground floor. During normal school days, parents who are waiting to raise children can read and socialize there.
Brightness and darkness. Lighting is essential to the design of the library, not only fulfilling the needs of function but also shaping the spaces and animating them with the rhythm of music. Abundant shadows on the slab top give a scattering light to the central reading area, a large oculus falling from the top illuminates the true center in an almost spiritual way, creating a central space with a feeling emotionally. While in the theater, natural light is completely avoided, and artificial lighting has been carefully designed to meet operational requirements.
In a sense, the Bibilotheater was created more broadly as a cultural center not only for the school but also the surrounding communities. Carefully located near the secondary door of the campus, the building can be used independently without disturbing the management of the campus. It was the architect’s hope that the Bibliotheater would become a social inspiration that will bring parents and members of the community together.
