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The concept was driven by the desire to unify architectural expression within Jiaxing’s “July 1st” Square, a civic landmark surrounded by diverse public buildings. The design team moved beyond the singularity of the building and pursued a strategy of spatial and material dialogue between old and new structures. The idea evolved around harmonizing form, proportion, and atmosphere while preserving the library’s cultural identity. Courtyard and transitional spaces were emphasized to create visual continuity and spiritual coherence.
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The site sits within Jiaxing’s symbolic cultural district, surrounded by a museum, stadium, and the South Lake Revolutionary Memorial Hall. The expansion strengthens the connection to the square by restructuring previously disjointed façades into a unified frontage. Landscape elements such as the reflecting pool and adjacent plaza are integrated into the design through visual and spatial transitions. These connections reweave the urban fabric and enhance the relationship between building, water, and nature.
The project prioritizes adaptive reuse and spatial preservation, retaining the original library while improving performance through a compact new structure. Passive strategies include optimizing daylight via courtyards and reflective pools, which also aid microclimate regulation. Materials were selected for low maintenance and contextual relevance. A dry-hung stone cladding system was used for its durability and recyclability. Although not yet certified, the project aligns with national green building guidelines and promotes long-term ecological integration.
This library expansion project in Jiaxing redefines civic harmony through subtle architectural dialogue. It forms Phase II of the city’s library, focused on ancient literature. The design responds to a culturally significant yet visually fragmented context—where scale, materiality, and color had previously lacked coherence. Rather than assert a new identity, the design refines and extends the spatial language of the existing library.
The new structure and old building form an inward-facing courtyard, with connecting zones and shaded walkways that bring landscape and light deep into the reading spaces. The layout integrates a reflecting pool and public plaza into the architecture through a soft transition in scale and atmosphere.
The minimalist exterior expresses restraint, while inner spaces are shaped by calm, porous boundaries. Courtyards serve as spatial anchors, and vertical transitions enrich the user’s spatial journey. The project avoids flamboyant gestures and instead delivers a refined architectural response rooted in context, balance, and cultural symbolism.
This project reflects the city’s cultural values and serves as a quiet but powerful architectural gesture toward historical continuity, civic openness, and spatial calm.
STI Studio is an international design firm, founded in Stuttgart, Germany. It currently comprises three core design studios located in Hangzhou, China; Châteauroux, France; and Stuttgart, Germany. STI Studio specializes in architecture and offers comprehensive design services that span urban planning and design, architecture, interior design, landscape architecture, and lighting design.
