‘liyuan library’ by li xiaodong atelier, huairou, china all images courtesy li xiaodong atelier

 

 

 

positioned within the small village of huairou, a two hours drive away from the urban center of beijing, china, the ‘liyuan library’ by chinese practice li xiaodong atelier is encompassed within a mountainous and forested landscape. a five minute stroll from the village’s center, the fully glazed interior contains quiet and contemplative reading spaces and a series of platforms which integrate shelving for books. after analyzing the region’s characteristics, an exterior screen clad with ordinary sticks was chosen to conceal the glass facade, receding into the surrounding nature without competing with it.

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library stepped interior with integrated shelving for books

 

 

 

the original use for the material is to heat the villager’s cooking stoves and was found in collected piles around homes of the area. the locally sourced components were placed in rows with slight spacingleading to an evenly diffused light for a brightly illuminated reading atmosphere. a cubic grid of structural timber encloses the 175 square meter area, becoming a uniform framework for stairs, windows and stepped seating for impromptu chairs.

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library quiet and contemplative reading nook with views to the mountains

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library approach from the village

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library mountains and nature encompass the library

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library entry elevation recedes into the surrounding nature

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library void frames views of the landscape beyond

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library stairway

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library rows of sticks conceal the glazed interior

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library facade detail

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library piles of wooden sticks for facade

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library bundled sticks used to heat villagers stoves were collected as the raw facade material

drawings

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library site plan

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library floor plan / level 0

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library floor plan / level 1

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library roof plan

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library elevation

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library elevation

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library elevation

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library elevation

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library section

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library section

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library section

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library section

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library section

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library parapet detail

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library door details

li xiaodong atelier: liyuan library window details

project info:

architect: li xiaodong / atelier team: li xiaodong; li yayun, huang chenwen; pan xi location: jiaojiehe village, huairou county, beijing, china floor area: 175 m2 client: jiaojiehe village construction period: march 2011-october 2011 construction cost: RMB 1050,000 commissioning donors: luke him sau charitable trust and pan xi