In a library, the existence of printed knowledge is what makes it operates while the heart of knowledge itself is a continuous circulation. Nowadays the way in which people interact and occupy spaces has been reshaped by technology, conventional shape of knowledge circulation and its space become less popular. Therefore, extending a conventional library into a more updated one is useful in order to keep it running properly.
The extension is a knowledge center. The design characteristic is encouraging users to stay and discuss about what they have in mind in any period of time. That means the building consists of three timeline-based layers: Past, Present, and Future.
The Past layer is then applied in the upper part and translated into conventional stuff, such as offices and archiving. The Present layer is located in the first two floors and relates with what is happening now, from the most updated information to the way it is shared. It shapes from an opaque container that lies on top of an open ground floor. Those spaces accommodate discussion and provide access to digital knowledge. The Future, and the most important, is about shaping what is not yet happened. Positioned in the third floor as a translucent container, its open floor plan enhances new ideas being discussed.
Making the whole idea into reality through a construction phase of design means some sort of adjustment. In the Library and Knowledge Center project, it happened purposefully. Located in a well-established workplace in Jakarta, the design had to be attuned to the existing structure of its surroundings, as well as some legal aspects regarding the floor area. The structure and legal aspects reshaped Library and Knowledge Center building in two major ways.The first, and the most principal, is the way in which timeline-based layers are rearranged.
The second adjustment is on the floor area and building shape, which comes afterwards. The building form is firstly stretched into a longer rectangular shape. In each floor, then, the utility is clustered and arranged in a vertical line to create efficient spaces. That includes the aforementioned main stair, which is exposed by using transparent material. Additionally, to minimize unintended changes during construction process, this design uses purchasable materials and applicable structure.