Taketa Municipal Library, Public library in Taketa, Japan.
Taketa Municipal Library is a public library in Taketa, Oita Prefecture, with a gabled roof and white walls that fit into the surrounding castle town architecture. The building contains reading and study areas, spaces for educational programs and community events, and various types of book arrangements throughout its interior.
The library was completed in 2017 by Takao Shiotsuka Atelier as part of the Castle Town Revitalization Project. The building emerged as an effort to bring new functions into a traditional setting while supporting the local community.
The curved book stacks inside create different zones with distinct feelings: open areas toward the south, forest-like sections toward the north, and cave-like spaces upstairs. Visitors experience the building as a place where architecture and books work together to shape how people move and rest within it.
The building offers accessible areas for various activities like reading, learning, and gathering together. The different zones allow visitors to find either quiet or communal spaces depending on their needs.
Intentional gaps in the building structure allow natural light and wind to flow through the space. These openings connect the interior with the surrounding landscape and create a link between the structure and nature outside.
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