Shenzhen Reef Library

The Shenzhen Reef Library is situated in Jiaochangwei, the only village along Dapeng Peninsula’s coastline in Shenzhen. The aggressive expansion of the tourism industry has caused this once tranquil and peaceful seaside village overcrowded and noisy. The initial design purpose was to create a diverse and complex public space within a tightly enclosed site.

The site is divided by a nine-square grid, and the four corners of the building are contracted inward, decreasing its own volume while keeping a certain space with surrounding buildings. On the ground floor, these void spaces on corners are inserted by courtyards with different characteristics, which form a positive indoor landscape and became a gentle transition between indoor and outdoor spaces. Meanwhile, by designing new arched walls, a clear geometric sequence along the street is formed. Retreat in order to advance. The spatial relationship and sense of scale inside the building is gradually established under a series of retreating actions.

Red reefs left by ancient volcanic relics are the unique geological feature of the Dapeng Peninsula, and become the main inspiration of the project. This material is used on the façade and interior, aiming to connect humanity with nature. A vivid shape is generated by square volumes and curved openings. Thick red walls form the solid body of the building, which creates a strong contrast with the transparency of white book tower. A red cave space on the ground floor is shaped by the reef-like interior, associating with curved bookshelves.

For this building lying on a high-density coastal village, our hope is that it should not have single function, but to redefining the significance of community space in the village. It is consciously exploited to accelerate local renewal, and seeking a more comprehensive and peaceful environment to promote the interaction between human and space.