LIBRARY 2018.
RUSSIAN ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND CRAFTS.
//Venice, Italy
Currently, in 2018, there are more than 48,000 public libraries in Russia. Until the end of the twentieth century, they performed their traditional function – book depositories. However, with the Internet expansion, the traditional role of libraries is decreasing rapidly. What does the mankind have to do with a huge collection of books, rooms and job vacations? Since 2016, the Government of Moscow, in particular the Moscow Government's Department of Culture, works to modernize the library’s network and looks for new opportunities.
The project aims to transform libraries to local cultural centers and no more book storages, to turn them into socializing spaces, through giving new features and modern approach to set public spaces.
The library is considered as a place of attraction for residents of nearby residential areas – as a club for interesting leisure and educational activities, a venue for thematic local events, lectures, concerts, presentations, children's events. The cafes, exhibition centers and lecture halls are set at the territory of libraries. At the same time, the traditional features of the book depository and place to work with books, of course, remain.
The project aims to transform libraries to local cultural centers and no more book storages, to turn them into socializing spaces, through giving new features and modern approach to set public spaces.
The library is considered as a place of attraction for residents of nearby residential areas – as a club for interesting leisure and educational activities, a venue for thematic local events, lectures, concerts, presentations, children's events. The cafes, exhibition centers and lecture halls are set at the territory of libraries. At the same time, the traditional features of the book depository and place to work with books, of course, remain.
The libraries could be thematic ones: the library of the theater, library of comics, aviation, fishing sport, and of course – the library of design. Such libraries turn to be professional clubs and venues for thematic events, meetings with experts, presentations of specialized books and exhibitions.
The project "LIBRARY 2018. RUSSIAN ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND CRAFTS" appeared as a result of the collaboration of three communities:
The project "LIBRARY 2018. RUSSIAN ARCHITECTURE, DESIGN AND CRAFTS" appeared as a result of the collaboration of three communities:
– Architectural community, represented by the Asadov Architectural Bureau;
– Design community, represented by the Industrial Designers Club;
– Makers represented by the winners of the contest "The Makers", organized by Seasons Project.
<this is my ideas and the process>
"Reflecting on the new format of libraries, what we would like to see as our own site, we constructed the image of the Ideal Library: Library of Russian architecture, design and crafts. On the one hand, this project reflects our vision, on the other hand it analyzes the existing phenomenon of the library in historical, cultural and social aspects, with a focus on the existing library stock. The ideal library, as we understand it, is not just a building filled up with books, but a public space that includes objects, people, events, knowledge, experience, opportunities," – said Konstantin Lagutin, founder of the Industrial Designers Club.
These ideas have found their real embodiment in the "Library of Design" – the reformatted space of the Moscow library No. 95.
The successful and fruitful cooperation of the Industrial Designers Club with the Libraries of Moscow inspired the participants of the Club to create an exposition that will become a meeting point for the venetians and visitors of 16th Architectural la Biennale di Venezia, as well as the place for experience exchange for the visitors of design festival DESIGN.VE.
These ideas have found their real embodiment in the "Library of Design" – the reformatted space of the Moscow library No. 95.
The successful and fruitful cooperation of the Industrial Designers Club with the Libraries of Moscow inspired the participants of the Club to create an exposition that will become a meeting point for the venetians and visitors of 16th Architectural la Biennale di Venezia, as well as the place for experience exchange for the visitors of design festival DESIGN.VE.
