Nature-Inspired Library – Toyo Ito’s “Forest for Everyone”

Text / Compiled and reported by the editorial team of MOOK Travel Life Network
 
Japanese architectural master Toyo Ito is probably the most well-known renowned architect to Taiwanese people. Architectural works such as the National Taichung Theater and Songshan Cultural and Creative Park eslite spectrum are his realizations of urban imagination. The media center he built in Gifu City in 2015 features an unusually shaped building that combines functions such as a library, learning center, and multimedia audiovisual space. Its uniquely designed spaces allow people to feel the special charm of nature.

This Gifu Media Center is also known as “Forest for Everyone.” Master architect Toyo Ito believes that architecture should be a part of nature, so the design emphasizes harmony with nature throughout. A large amount of local wood was used, allowing people to smell the comforting scent of timber as soon as they step inside. The unique design makes one feel as though they are walking into a forest, where natural wind and light can be felt indoors.

The Gifu Media Center is a place where people can gather, communicate, and share information. Children can enjoy the space and read freely here. Eleven hanging “spherical domes” are designed within the interior spaces. In addition to creating a warm, homelike feel, these spherical domes also serve ventilation functions. On sunny days, natural daylight can stream in through the domes, allowing people to read under the soft natural light as if they were in a forest.