Arao City Library, Kumamoto, Japan (2022)

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Arao City Library is located in the northern part of the Kumamoto prefecture of Japan and is set to be the first full scale digital library under the government's, "Smart City" policy.

The Library and Bookstore design is inspired by Arao's unique geo-historical features, the "Mike Coal Mines" heritage site and the "Arao Tidal Flat" conservation & sustainable wetlands.

The main library spaces are designed in an organic and open manner, creating a book browsing experience that mimics the search of wildlife in the Arao Tidal Flat. The digital library, workshop, cafe and bookstore are placed to traverse the main library, forming a spine of rich and lively experiences similiar to a coal mine village of the past. 

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Through a field of discoveries and the pat to the future of learning, the Arao City Library aims to form a bridge between digital and physical forms, past and the future, for all generations in the community.