{"id":2555,"date":"2015-11-11T21:52:36","date_gmt":"2015-11-11T21:52:36","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thesis.arch.hku.hk\/2015\/?p=2555"},"modified":"2015-12-15T01:29:11","modified_gmt":"2015-12-15T01:29:11","slug":"temple-of-knowledge-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/thesis.arch.hku.hk\/2015\/2015\/11\/11\/temple-of-knowledge-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Temple of Knowledge"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/p>\n
Library is a place provided a spirtual separation from the real world, stepping back to explore the world from a different stand point. Louis Kahn described Pantheon as \u201ca world within a world\u201d. Future library should be a space that people may not go in for a specific purpose, like learning or knowing something, but in the end the library\u2019s ambiance attracts people to read books, self-reflect and think. The irreplacable functions of library will further define its existance in coming future. Other side functions will diminish the core essences of library and will turn it to be a attachment to a community centre, a learning resource centre, a caf\u00e9, a market or a museum in foreseeable future.<\/p>\n
WHAT<\/p>\n
The thesis would aim at defining irreplaceable functions of a public library but not adding a long list of social, community or knowledge interexchange\/discussions programmes which could be replaced by other facilities in the city. The building scale for the thesis has not been finalized, depending on the site context. It would be a building, but not part of a building attaching to a museum, a community centre, a market, a shopping mall, a book store or a cinema.<\/p>\n This thesis would target at redefining the design directions and developing a new kind of public library in high-density urban environment to meet the evolving needs of human society. Potential testing sites for this library could be any sites with busy environment in Hong Kong, where is convenient to reach and has potential demand on a library as a cultural place and facilities. The busy environment would arouse a big contrast with a separated spiritual environment in the library, which is expected to have more fascinating relationships with its irreplaceable functions. Some possible site examples could be high density middle class residential area in Caine Road, busy commercial area in Connaught Road Central or remarkable high density residential and commercial mixed area in Mong Kok. These sites are suitable test case areas because they are surrounded by different typical populations and high density site conditions which could represent characters of Hong Kong.<\/p>\n
\n<\/a>(Left to right: Caine Road Garden, Connaught Road Central , Mong Kok Police Station)<\/p>\n