d+a | Issue 120 • 2021

61 polyhedral form, modelled after the lower tier of a forest crown. “Dappled light pours through the louvres to the first floor, creating a varied light environment. “The result is an interconnected, forest-like space that gently wraps visitors, turning the surrounding cityscape, as well as the everyday activity of the people who gather in the library to learn and participate in events, into a variety of ever-changing scenes.” The louvred ceiling extends outside too, covering the underside of the roof overhang and provides the coherence between inside and out. Ito shares that she chose glass walls to maintain the relationship between the library and the city, so that what is taking place indoors is visible from the outside too. A COMMUNITY HUB Apart from its main function as a library, the building also accommodates a hall, cafe, galleries as well as reading spaces on the first floor. This allows it to forge an even stronger bond with the community, who can drop in for exhibitions, lectures and other events. Wending through the middle is 04. The louvred ceiling (or what the architect calls the “leafline”) with a polyhedral form is made with laminated veneer lumber and modelled after the lower tier of a forest crown. ROOF/CEILING (LEAFLINE) DIAGRAM