2023- © VAN HONGO

Miruru / Japan / Public city library

2020- © VAN HONGO

2020- © VAN HONGO

   

Miruru, Nasushiobara City Library みるる

Completion : 2020

Location : Nasushiobara city, Tochigi, Japan

Area : 4965m2 (ground floor 2686m2, first floor 2279m2)

Program : Library / Hall / Shop / Cafe / etc.

Client : Nasushiobara City

Architect : UAo (Urban Architecture Office) Tokyo

Curtain design : Van Hongo (本郷いづみ)

Curtain production : Kawashima Selkon Textiles Co., Ltd.

Photo : DAICI ANO (fig.1,4,5) Daisuke Sekine (fig.2,6,7)

designboom

2020- © VAN HONGO

2020- © VAN HONGO

2020- © VAN HONGO

2020- © VAN HONGO

     

Textile :

Folded and Layered Lace (originally coloured)

When the architect office, Uao won the competition for this new library, there was no curtains in the proposal although the architect knew that they had to put on curtains to protect the books from UV rays. As the big windows are ranged, the architect wanted to put special curtains made especially for this environment. After looking at my fashion collection, she ordered me a light curtain just like my fashion collection.

An architectural concept is called a forest rhythm. What they want to create is a space where people can actively walk around. The first floor is a library, so relatively thick curtains are needed for protection. On the other hand, the ground floor is an open space so curtains should transparent enough.

By folding one piece of big lace textiles, the curtains create the gradation of light from ground to ceiling. With 0, 1, 2, and 3 layers from bottom to top, the random hemlines of the curtains are connecting and floating around the architecture beyond each windows.

2020- © VAN HONGO