In response to the international brief initiated by Europe Readr, ‘A Library Under the Treetops’ is a project that aims to create a space/installation that redefines the public and private interface. The design intention is to accommodate a safe, comfortable, and enjoyable reading space in an open urban area for people in the residential neighborhood of Ladprao, Bangkok.
To blur the public-private boundary, the design process of this reading space/ installation is collaborative in nature, bringing architects, local craftsmen and workers, educators, students, and the local community together in order to imagine and produce a space that creates a social impact in the local environment. Our concept is to generate a sustainable design by sourcing recyclable materials to ensure the long-lasting life span of the project beyond its completion. Ultimately, the goal in producing such a space is to advance a sustained awareness of the quality of life beyond consumption, to stimulate the need for reading and knowledge, and to satisfy the human desire to be with others despite the constraints of the metropolis.