There are bookcases in the
vineyard Ghent is the third largest city in Belgium and the capital of the province of East Flanders. According to archaeological findings, there have been human activities in the Ghent area during the Stone Age and Iron Age. As early as the 7th century, it gradually developed into a bustling town around a local castle. Around 650 AD, Saint Armand established several monasteries including St. Peter’s Monastery in Ghent. Due to its convenient location at the confluence of the Leith and Skel rivers, it became an important commercial and trading city in Europe and a textile center in the 13th century. Around 800 AD, Charlemagne’s son, later Louis I (the Pious), ordered Charlemagne’s biographer, Charlemagne, to take charge of all the monasteries in the city of Ghent.
St. Peter’s Abbey is elegant, with a large garden at the back. The monks planted grapes in their gardens and made wine. Vineyards were rebuilt next to this medieval site in the 1970s. Italian artist Massimo Bartolini was optimistic about this feng shui treasure land, he founded an open-air library, and completed his performance art work entitled “Garden of Books”, which became the highlight of the “Track” contemporary art exhibition in the whole city of Ghent. a component. Bartolini said that the reason why he set up the library in the vineyard is that books are like sweet and delicious wine, which can nourish the soul. According to the artist’s design, in order to give people a symbolic visual experience like the book building, the huge green bookcases should be arranged along the slope, parallel to the grape trellis, like an extension of the grape trellis.
The open-air library’s collection consists of two parts: one is the books Bartolini has collected over the years, and the other is purchased from libraries in Antwerp and Ghent, financed by an NGO. There are nearly 30,000 books in the collection, including books in English, French, German and Dutch. Due to the open air and the temperate maritime climate of Belgium, it often rains, so most of the books are left with traces of rain.
In the city of Ghent, the open-air library has become a place frequented by citizens. Many people would like to have a good time sitting around on the quiet lawns reading, playing or chatting. It is open from 10 am to 6 pm except Mondays which are closed. Readers are allowed to borrow and even take the books in it for free, and it is advocating to donate money to the library. “People are very interested in the unknown. Reading is a way to explore the unknown. Through reading, you can step into another world. We represent a culture.” Bartolini pointed out, “Although the books here are relatively old and old, But there are still many people who come to explore what they want, and reading is a way of life for Belgians.”
Belgium is known as the most international country in Europe. The capital Brussels is currently the headquarters of the European Union, and there are various international Organization and more than 160 diplomatic missions, it is a veritable European political center, and the permanent residents of I/5 are foreigners. There are four official languages: English, French, German and Dutch. Belgians love reading, and the average annual book consumption per capita ranks second in Europe after Denmark. Bartolini set up the open-air library in Ghent because it is a university town. Take the Ghent University established in 1817 as an example. This comprehensive and famous university has 11 colleges, 1 school and 1 department. A total of 144 departments. The total number of students is about 20,500, including 1,300 foreign students from 107 countries. Among the population of more than 200,000 in Ghent, readers account for a large proportion, and a large number of intellectuals in East Flanders live here.
Beer carton lid building
In the western city of Magdeburg, Germany, there is an open-air library with a lot of green space. The project, with a budget of 325,000 euros, was designed by Carlo Architects and completed in collaboration with local residents. Incredibly, this open-air library, covering an area of 488 square meters, was built with beer cartons as materials.
With the support and cooperation of the surrounding communities, the designers first made a 1:1 model out of beer cartons, and recycled the building materials of the Houghton warehouse demolished in Ham District to create a beautiful appearance of the library. The local government hopes to revitalize the post-industrial area of Magdeburg by establishing such a cultural center and library grassroots project, turning the abandoned industrialist landscape into a modern library with a dreamy urban atmosphere.
”The citizens of Magdeburg actively participated in the design process of the open-air library, from idea to construction, everything and every activity focused the attention of community members,” noted Irene, one of the designers. , “This project encourages people to share resources and reduce the use of packaging boxes, thereby reducing the demand for pulp and cultivating a social spirit of ‘sharing’.”
Many citizens actively donated books to the open-air library, with a collection of more than 20,000 volumes. It is open 24 hours a day, and readers do not need to register, and can pick up books to read outdoors, or bring their own books to exchange with the library. Everyone can enjoy this open space and gain the knowledge it brings. In addition to being used for public reading, the open-air library has also opened up a large public green space in the shape of a coffee cup. It has become a stage for primary school drama performances, public reading sessions, concerts and other cultural activities, where community members can have fun and enjoyment in the cultural experience. Completely different from the library in people’s impressions, the open-air library is more like the central activity green space of a community, providing residents with space for learning, communication and rest.
The design of the open-air library in Magdeburg is very simple and realistic. Many unnecessary elements have been removed to make it more integrated and consolidated. For this, it won the British Insurance Design Award.
Good to read beside the pier
In a pier in southern Thailand, there is a small open-air public library run by a local family of three. At first, they found a lot of people going to the island and waiting for the ferry at the pier. The warm-hearted couple wondered if there was anything they could do to kill the long hours for the travelers. My daughter came up with an idea to set up a library where people could flip through books and drink a glass of water when they stopped.
The open-air public library looks relatively rudimentary: the wooden houses of some eras look outdated, and the light inside is not very good. The bookshelf is nailed together with several boards, which is very non-standard. A table, although larger, is not level. However, the neatly coded books and picture albums are eye-catching, and the attentive service of the host makes the passengers feel at home. People from all over the world are sitting in the courtyard, reading, drinking tea, chatting with relish, and savoring the joy of life. Many tourists voluntarily donate books and money, hoping that the open-air public library will become better and better.
