The Library of Seinan Gakuin University

Lead Designers 1) Miki Matsushita 2) Naoki Takayama

Entry Description

Seinan Gakuin University built their new library using the image of the tree of knowledge. The center is an atrium style and named “Book Tree”. Around “Book Tree” there are “Learning Leaves”, from the first to the third floor, students can communicate with people and the fourth to the seventh floor, they can focus on study. The exterior is completed with a tracery of bricks. Linear wall washers were used so the lighting reached the books evenly in the “Book Tree” part. In the “Learning Leaves” part, instead of using ceiling lights, we attached upper linear lights to the bookshelves. For the carrel seats, we created new fixtures which could light up in both directions, up and down. Downward linear strips are bright enough for studying and the upper linear strips light up the ceilings. These are also intended to leak through the tracery at night. This landmark keeps with tradition by using bricks. With light however, it becomes a unique, softer image at night, reminiscent of lace.