The design for this International elementary school library blends flexibility with specificity, addressing the scales of growing children through the careful integration of architecture, furniture, and learning materials. Prior to renovation, the library functioned as a generic repository for books and desks without regard for how children learn. Even as the existing building offered a high floor-to-ceiling volume, the upper and lower portions of the curtain wall were covered creating a low, pancake-like interior.

Through addressing the vertical dimensions at the personal scale, an ecosystem of customizable spaces for children and adults is created. The odd outline of the existing floor-plate was taken as a starting-point clue. The north circular envelope now houses a more free-form area connoting ideas of an urban park. Modular and moveable semi-circular shelving offer various spaces where parents, teachers, and children can learn in groups. Next to the glazing, a hammock mezzanine blends the playground with the library: The space underneath is canopy-like, while above, children can imagine floating above the clouds.

On the south side, the rectangular envelope lends itself to a more dense ‘city block’ feel. Book stacks with integrated desks act as reconfigurable building blocks for individual and collective study areas. Rising above this urban field, four reading towers further trigger the imagination of a micro-urban experience. Their forms intentionally reference historical structures connecting the library with future memories. Finally, a large conference room with folding partitions can either extend the library’s activities or close off into a private realm for teacher meetings.