Library in Ruins / Atelier Xi

Library in Ruins is a project designed by Atelier Xi for the municipal government of rural Xiuwu County. The design of this building features a characteristic curved concrete volume emerging from the ruins of abandoned houses.  Located in Henan, China, this building was built among the dilapidated houses of Sunyao Old Village, a settlement nestled on the slopes of a mountain. This settlement was gradually abandoned by its residents in the mid-1990s which left it neglected.

Initially, the project promoted by the Xiuwu government aimed to design a large public building that could accommodate various cultural activities of the villagers. However, the Xiuwu area has too large an area, and access between villages is scattered, so the project is divided into buildings with separate functions at different locations.

Not only the Library in Ruins but a series of other buildings in this project were also built using cast concrete in-situ material that displays organic building forms. These shapes are obtained from the analogy of the existing forms around the site, for example, the shape of a peach tree with branches that soar to the sky. This shape also allows the building to blend in well with its surroundings.

This library design features concrete forms built into existing walls. Carefully blending old and new parts, retaining many of the original features, but also creating strong contrasts through contemporary shapes and materials. According to Atelier Xi, this design can let the new building become a spatial device for visitors to interact with old houses, villages, fields, and mountains that are in the distance.

On the interior side, the ground floor of the compact building can be used as a reading area and projection room. Equipped with bookshelves and static benches incorporated in a curved staircase. The facade of the building is treated with a topographical approach, with the outline of the wavy roof highlighting the mountainous terrain around the library location. The roof ground in the library building also naturally forms an outdoor terrace and slide for children.