This library extension adds a one-story structure to the existing library building at the Polytechnic University in Hong Kong. Subverting the original Metabolist design, the project uses a lightweight structure made of steel and glass, enhancing visual lightness and openness in the interior spaces. A formal language of organic curves is introduced in the exterior patios as an urban gesture, and the curves continue inside to create a pastoral landscape.
The flexible layout is engaged through a series of pavilions for specific programs. Each pavilion, such as the floating riser or the 20-meter-long table suspended from the ceiling in perfect load equilibrium, is uniquely designed to accommodate a wide range of activities at different scales, from individual quiet spaces to group workspaces for gathering or collaboration. This new interior organization strategy enables students to configure their own spaces and to have a greater sense of ownership of the space.
Year
2022/23
Prize
HKIA Special Award - Interior Design
Architect(s)
P&T Architects Limited + PangArchitect
