AURORA’s Cross-Domain Planning and Spatial Reimagination Create a Brand New Tainan Public Library
A cooking classroom and kitchen inside a library? A lobby resembling a café? The Tainan Public Library New Main Branch is set to overturn every preconception you hold about libraries! Through the ingenious design of the AURORA furniture team, the furnishings—often associated with commercial office towers—are woven into the library, creating an atmosphere that is both serene and engaging.
"The Tainan Public Library appears to float lightly in the air. The second floor’s façade, utilizing wood-toned aluminum screens, features a pattern inspired by the window grilles of traditional Tainan old houses. This use of modern material elegantly showcases structure and design, providing excellent thermal insulation while cleverly filtering light to project beautiful patterns onto the floor. The entire building utilizes a stepped-facade design, with the roof providing shade for the six above-ground and two underground floors. The exterior louvers incorporate the imagery of Tainan’s ancient Qing Dynasty maps, revealing clear historical traces when bathed in sunlight, evoking the refined elegance of a bamboo forest."
(Media report upon the official opening of the Tainan Public Library New Main Branch in Yongkang District, Tainan City, January 2021.)
Innovative Concepts
A Project of Paradigm Shift
Upon entering the lobby, visitors are immediately drawn to the high ceiling and the public artwork "Gust of Wind" by the British artist Paul Cocksedge's team. Next, a collection of distinctly designed sofas, featuring bold colors, comes into view, situated throughout the library lobby and reading areas—a sight rarely witnessed in traditional libraries.
"Let's remove the traditional tables and chairs and replace them with sofas that encourage relaxed public reading!"
Bold Color Palettes Reshape the Ambiance with Designer Sofas
AURORA introduced concepts of contemporary reading culture and ambiance creation. With the trust of the Library Director and administrative staff, they embarked on a valuable "library transformation" experience. While the initial plan focused on conventional office desks and chairs, the idea of using sofas to vitalize the library space was unprecedented.
Different spatial needs were met with sofas of varying textures and colors. In the second-floor A/V rooms, diverse colors, styles, and materials were used to furnish each viewing booth, promoting a comfortable and relaxed posture optimal for consuming audiovisual content.
In a corner of the 4th-floor Chinese literature section, circular shelving frames an inner space furnished with comfortable, designer sofas. A similar area nearby features different styles and colors. This non-traditional spatial arrangement feels harmonious and successfully cultivates a colorful, imaginative cultural atmosphere.
The Clash of Spaces and Cultures
Surrounded by circular shelves and furnished with comfortable, designer sofas, patrons are immersed in the world of reading.
Choosing the Posture of Reading
AURORA Furniture makes reading spaces unique with diverse sofa designs.
"We weren't just putting stylish-looking but uncomfortable sofas there. After all, people come to the library to read; practicality is paramount!"
AURORA Furniture customized every sofa for the library, repeatedly consulting with the end-users and manufacturers to confirm material, color, and comfort. The AURORA team provided comprehensive custom furniture resources, ensuring rapid delivery of high-volume, non-standard orders and meeting the client's stringent quality expectations.
Despite the focus on soft seating, a large number of tables and chairs remained an essential requirement. As library furniture needs cannot be met by standardized OA(Office Automation) systems, customization was necessary.
The B1 Children's Library is another area that deviates from traditional layouts, featuring large caterpillar, pencil, and small snail-shaped bookshelves, alongside age-appropriate tables and chairs. AURORA executed this design in collaboration with the construction team, exceeding the library's expectations and receiving high praise.
Custom Furniture Services from the Grand Scale to the Minute Detail
The furniture requirements for the children's book area differ from those of general areas. Appropriate bookshelf heights and playfully designed furniture should be planned to better attract children into the world of reading.
Whimsical, child-friendly furniture and reading tables empower children to own the space, becoming kings and queens of their reading world!
The Only Culinary Studio in a Taiwanese Library
Tainan Public Library is the only library in Taiwan to feature a cooking classroom, 'City Kitchen.' Establishing a fully operational culinary studio within a library was an unimaginable yet exciting challenge for both the library and the AURORA team.
The kitchen required specialized equipment, including countertops, modular cabinetry, and ventilation. As a culinary classroom, meticulous planning was essential for the overall space design, hardware, staff circulation, and ergonomic considerations of the cooking stations. To achieve a sophisticated and cohesive style, the instructor and student countertops and cabinetry were crafted with a stone texture, elevating the perceived value of the classroom and giving this "library culinary studio" a distinct identity.
Although the library setting restricts heavy-oil cooking, focusing instruction on light meals and baking, the AURORA team successfully shattered traditional stereotypes by accomplishing this cross-domain mission, thereby bringing culinary culture into the Tainan Public Library New Main Branch.
"Breaking tradition" was the hallmark of this TPL space planning. By moving away from table-and-chair-centric arrangements and utilizing over 96 pieces of designer sofas, the project shattered the conventional framework of public spaces and library furniture, injecting a multi-layered vitality into the Tainan Public Library.
