This was a design competition which called for new library facilities within the envelopes of the former Courthouse and the adjoining former Headquarters of the Judiciary Police in the city centre of Macau. The two historical buildings are three storeys high and an upward expansion was required to accommodate the facilities for a modern library.

In contrast to the concrete structure of the old Courthouse which forms the pedestal to the new structure, the new library is designed as a hanging transparent glass box revealing the space and activities within, connecting the new civic building with the city and symbolic of knowledge open to the public. Tiered balconies over the glass façade give a dynamic form and suggest a ‘stack of books’ metaphor in keeping with the new identity of the building. Sustainability in design is integrated into the implementation process. To provide a suitable environment for book storage and reading, double glazing with a fritted pattern performs the sustainability functions in terms of sun shading, temperature control and noise reduction while maintaining the transparency of the building. A brise soleil is provided as the second skin to the façade, giving a layering effect and helping to reduce unnecessary sunlightpenetration. The fritted glass pattern is a pixelated composition of the traditional Macau-Portugese ceramic tile motif, the emblem of the collective memory of the city.

The two historic buildings are connected by opening up a two-storey void at the central axis in response to the Avenue Praia Grande in front of the old Courthouse. A pedestrian thoroughfare through the lower level of the building comprises the spatial linkage of the building and the local surroundings, and integrates with the Macau World Heritage Trail.

Institution

220,000 Sqm

Macau

Design Completed 2008