The Songdo Library is a 2019 competition proposal for a site in Seoul, conceived as an exploration of the “library of the future.” As digital media continues to supplant traditional formats, the project reconsiders the library not simply as a repository of books, but as a vital civic space for connection, learning, and exchange across generations.

CAL’s proposal centers on fostering collaboration and community while preserving the library’s core mission as an open, accessible place for knowledge. The design takes the form of a four-story rectilinear volume wrapped by a continuous, looping ramp that animates the façade and connects all levels. At its heart, a grand central atrium serves as a social anchor, surrounded by flexible, open-plan spaces with lounge seating, a café, and a stepped public stair. More traditional quiet study areas are distributed along the perimeter, offering a balance between focused work and collective engagement.

The building is conceived as a four-story volume wrapped by a zigzagging pedestrian walkway that traverses the façade. A calibrated gradient of opacity modulates natural light throughout the interior, creating bright, open social spaces alongside more controlled, comfortable areas for study.

At the heart of the project, a spiraling void links all levels, drawing daylight deep into the building. The spaces surrounding this atrium become the most active social zones, housing the café and lounge areas.

LOCATION Incheon, South Korea

PROGRAM Library, stacks, archives, lounge areas, computer lab, outdoor terraces + auditorium, back of house, storage