Temple of Knowledge

WHY

Library was once the most important knowledge hub, serving as storage of books and place of reading. With advancement of information technology, books are no longer the main carriers of knowledge. Knowledge is available everywhere through Internet, desktops, laptops and mobile phones. The reasons for having a public library as a huge storage of books and reading spaces are weakened by growing digitized online materials. Ultimately, all knowledge will be digitalized and available on the Internet. Why do we need public libraries anymore?

In the future, library will no longer be just a knowledge storage house with reading spaces. Since more and more knowledge accumulated in the forms of text, sound and videos on the internet, people is not necessary to come to library to get the knowledge. Public library should be transformed to be a spiritual space where people admire the greatness and importance of knowledge. I call this new type of library as “Temple of Knowledge.” This new type of public space has to provide an influential ambiance to stimulate the desire of learning, studying, discussing and sharing knowledge. Like churches, temples and shrines, Temple of Knowledge is a place for mind activities and spiritual desires.

WHAT

Libraries are somehow restricted by its size for book collections and certain required facilities. The design of public library usually focuses on the storage of books and reading area at well air-conditioned and lighted environment. Office kind of design may provide an efficient environment to boost work performance. However, it is not suitable for mind activities. To attract people to come, a public space for knowledge should embed with the ambiance for learning and studying of knowledge. Temple of Knowledge is a new type of public space. Knowledge and ideas are important to society and civilisation. Although knowledge is not religion or God, it is irreplaceable successful factors for human and community to get advanced. It consists of main temple in big scale and small branches all over the city with different scale. Books are not the main character of the facility and people is the key element of it. The key mission of the Temple is to create spiritually harmony spaces for staying, learning, discussing and sharing their ideas. Temple of Knowledge has to be a versatile, flexible, adaptable and spiritual public space to meet rapid social changes and new modes of communication.

HOW

Step01
Review different existing public knowledge hubs, libraries and reading spaces. Both masterpieces and ordinary design will be studied and compared. Study churches, temples and shrine for understand the essential elements to form spiritual spaces.Step02
Study the development trends of library and latest modes of knowledge transfers. Identify the future needs and redefine the meanings/vision/mission of the next generation of public library, public spaces for learning and study. I may call it “Temple of Knowledge.Step03
Identify potential sites for the main temple and small temples to form a network of knowledge spaces in Hong Kong. Design and test the ideas in different scale on different site context.Step04
Revise and refine up on comments. Select one place for main temple and one place for a temple brunch.

Bibliography

Edward A. Fox. The Digital Libraries Initiative – Update and Discussion, Bulletin of the America Society of Information Science, Vol. 26, No 1, October/November 1999.
Michael Kubo ; Ramon Prat (2005), “Seattle Public Library, OMA/LMN”, Barcelona : Actar
Parks, Stephen, ed. (2007). The Beinecke Library of Yale University. New Haven: Yale University Press.
Quinn, Judy; Rogers, Michael (1990), Library architecture: striking a balance, Library Journal, Dec, 1990, Vol.115(21), p.19(2)