(17 July 2018) Taiwan’s National Central Library has launched an open international contest to design a £62 million southern branch near Tainan.
The single-stage competition will select an ‘iconic’ design for a landmark 51,000m2 National Central Library and National Repository Library in Xinying District around 37km north of Tainan City.
The ambitious project will transform a large undeveloped suburban plot on the outskirts of Xinying District surrounded by housing and a municipal swimming pool and stadium. The facility will feature a digital preservation centre and aims to boost activity within the local knowledge economy.
According to the brief: ‘For the innovation of service facilities, enhancement of quality service and reinforcement of national competitiveness, the Southern Branch of the National Central Library and National Repository Library will be located at Xinying District, Tainan, and is anticipated to be the largest, most resource abundant national library in southern Taiwan.
‘Further, a digital preservation centre will be established in the National Repository Library, thus National Repository Library will serve as the pioneer library in providing preservation service for valuable academic digital materials in Taiwan. The Southern Branch of the National Central Library and National Repository Library aims to establish a national-standard library and a repository library, via international perspective and a fresh vision, in order to enhance the competitive ability of Taiwan in this era of knowledge economy.’
The Architects’ Journal has the full details.
