The Living Library reimagines a neglected site as a layered ecosystem where student housing, commercial functions, and a dual library program, divided into a university library and a public library, coexist and reinforce one another. Existing structures are preserved and reused as open flexible library spaces, while new additions in CLT and GLT lightweight student housing volumes on top.
The timber-based interventions establish a future-oriented framework that allows maximum spatial flexibility and long-term transformation potential. Botanic elements are integrated throughout the site, extending from interior spaces to outdoor landscapes, enhancing biodiversity, mitigating urban heat effects and improving air quality, while softening the dominance of hard concrete surfaces.
