Library in the Earth is a unique place where people can enjoy farming and reading books. It is located in the corner of Kurkku Fields, an agricultural production corporation manages. The site is on a flat, dry plain overlooking a valley of construction debris. So, visitors can cultivate their fields under the sunshine and spend their rainy days reading books in the Library in the Earth.
© Koji Fujii / TOREAL
Our objective was to restore the lush valley that leads to the pond commonly referred to as Mother Pond by farmers. We believed that the architecture should not intrude on the cultivated soil layer but rather exist harmoniously beneath the thriving flora and microorganisms in the soil. The earth, representing the source of all life and motherhood, has been deeply respected. © Koji Fujii / TOREAL
Library in the Earth’s Design Concept
We intended to create a small gap in the ground, forming a peaceful area suitable for farmers to unwind. When viewed from above, this gap looks like a water droplet. As you walk along the path and cross the cultivated area, a row of bookshelves reveals itself. Architectural elements like beams and columns have been excluded and substituted by concrete void slabs that extend from the external retaining walls and wing walls.
© Koji Fujii / TOREAL
The floor, walls, and ceiling all have an earthy finish that seamlessly blends, while the lawn planted up to the vertical edge of the slab cascades gracefully, imparting a damp atmosphere to ...