Shangfeng Public Library and School Gymnasium / David Hong Architects

The project locates at the fringe of Taichung City. Like most rural areas in Taiwan, it is densely populated with low-rise residential buildings and farmland, however very few areas are reserved for public amenities. It has called for a library for the community and a school gymnasium, right next to an existing primary school. The challenge of this project is more than just simply placing these two buildings and programs in a very difficult site but creating a sense of place through expanding layers of activities, natural conditions, tectonic details, and ambiance. Because the site is very long and narrow, buildings have to be distributed at two ends of the boundary. These two buildings shall face each other and create a communal square in the middle. The square becomes the new focus as well as the new side entry for the school which knitted the community and school even closer. Outdoor terraces, roof gardens, and a ramp projecting out from these two buildings try to extend the periphery of the communal square.