试想象，在一个传统的木构房屋中嵌入了一个无止境的楼梯，一个由踏板组成的、无限延伸的环。为了增加神秘感，这个楼梯并没有目的地，它就是目的地本身。书架和可以俯瞰庭院的窗户组成的矩阵构成了建筑的外墙。坪坦书屋不被定义为一个传统的儿童图书馆，而是一个可以让孩子们一边读书一边玩耍的地方。这也是中国乡村图书馆的新范式。
Imagine a staircase that never ends, an infinite loop of risers and treads squeezed into a traditional timber house. To add to the mystery the staircase has no destination, it is the destination itself. The walls of the house have been transformed into a matrix of bookshelves and windows overlooking a courtyard. This is no ordinary children’s library, the Pingtan Book House is a place where kids read and play at the same time, a new paradigm of rural village library in China.
▼项目概览，overall view © Zhao Sai
近年来，侗族村庄一直面临着一个严峻的问题：美丽的木构建筑遗产迅速地被外来材料 – 混凝土所替代。过去几个世纪，侗族人一直用当地的杉木建造村庄，如今，这种可持续材料在侗寨的地位正在降低。当代生活方式和中国农村对现代城镇化的追求正在挑战侗族的传统文化基因。坪坦中心小学就是一个典型的例子。这所学校设立于1951年，而现在坪坦中心小学的混凝土校舍建造于20年前。围绕着操场是教学楼、教师宿舍、学生宿舍、行政楼和食堂。坪坦中心小学现有300多名6-13岁的学生。
▼项目夜景鸟瞰，aerial view of the project and surrounding environment at night © Zhao Sai
For years, Dong Minority villages have been confronted with the ever-present reality of their beautiful architectural heritage rapidly evaporating, eradicated by the arrival of a foreign material – concrete. Entire villages built over centuries from a single sustainable material, indigenous China Fir, are rapidly losing their identity. Dong’s cultural DNA is being challenged by contemporary living and the quest to modernise. The Pingtan primary school is a prime example of this condition, a school built 20 years ago on the edge of the village, entirely made of concrete. The complex, which accommodates more than 300 children aged between 6-13, is made up of a cluster of five buildings, including a Hall and Canteen, Classroom, Dormitories and Administration all surrounding a courtyard.
▼立面夜景，night view of the facade © Zhao Sai
▼立面夜景细部，detail of the facade © Zhao Sai
借此，Condition_Lab看到了一个可以保留侗族木构基因的建构机会，希望可以重新唤起侗族人民对他们自己文化遗产的兴趣。活态遗产的形式，可以让孩子们和侗族村寨重新产生链接，鼓励他们通过直接参与的方式欣赏这些宝贵的文化。这个项目是Condition_Lab在坪坦河流域建造的第二个图书馆，而它的姐姐——高步书屋位于坪坦河上游十公里外的高步村。这两个方案的概念相似，也非常简单：在侗族传统的干栏结构的基础上，用现代建筑设计的方法重新诠释楼梯、墙壁、窗户和地板等元素。
▼立面图，elevation © Condition_Lab
For these reasons Condition_Lab saw an opportunity to make a small insertion, to introduce a timber structure that retained the Dong architectural DNA that could reawaken a sense of wonder in their heritage. A form of “living heritage” that would reconnect and inspire children, allowing them to appreciate their precious culture via direct engagement. The project is the second library Condition_Lab design and builds in the region, the first Gaobu Book House is located 10 km upstream acting as the elder sister in this family of interventions. The idea is simple, each project takes the traditional typology of the Dong “Galan” timber frame house and adapts it to a contemporary design, where elements such as stairs, walls, windows and floor are reinterpreted.
▼立面日景，day view of the facade © Zhao Sai
▼木制结构与阳光板的结合，the combination of wooden structure and polycarbonate panels © Zhao Sai
Condition_Lab团队与当地木匠及中大建筑学院的学生密切合作。“在地”、”缓慢”和”聆听”是我们工作模式的关键。通过多年来的实际建构，我们获得了村民和校长的信任，也找到了项目的赞助者——坪坦书屋全部的建造资金由陈张敏聪夫人慈善基金捐赠。
▼剖面图，section © Condition_Lab
Condition_Lab worked closely with local carpenters and students of architecture from CUHK School of Architecture. Local, slow and listeing are the key attributes behind the project, without them the library wouldn’t be possible. Through a process of participation we gained the trust of the villagers and the school principal, enabling us to create a social narrative that also helped us find donors who would eventually sponsor the project. The building was build with a single donation from Chan Cheung Mun Chung Charitable Fund of 600,000 HKD that covered the entire construction.
▼内部空间概览，overall view of interior © Zhao Sai
▼由书屋看操场，viewing the playground from the book house © Zhao Sai
▼楼梯下方符合儿童心理尺度的玩耍空间，the play space under the stairs conforms to the psychological scale of children © Zhao Sai
坪坦书屋，从建筑结构到墙、楼梯、地板的每一个元素都完全由木材建造，我们在当代建筑中很难再找到这样的例子。唯一采用的外来材料是用于立面采光的阳光板。书屋也完全按照传统侗族木构技艺建造。
The remarkable achievement, something that we seldom occurs in contemporary construction, is that the fact that the Book House was built entirely using a sole material, every element such as wall, stairs and floor were built in timber. The only ‘foreign’ material being the polycarbonate panels used for the façade to allow sunlight to filter in and views out. Construction followed traditional Dong carpentory details, where ‘Dragon Joints’ composed of male and female interlocking parts are used as the main structural bond.
▼建筑结构到墙、楼梯、地板的每一个元素都完全由木材建造，the Book House was built entirely using a sole material, every element such as wall, stairs and floor were built in timber © Zhao Sai
▼传统侗族木构技艺的体现，construction followed traditional Dong carpentory details © Zhao Sai
▼书屋细部，details of the book house © Zhao Sai
这个项目的价值在于两个主要的出发点。第一，与坪坦小学的孩子有直接的联系。除了让他们能在书屋里学习玩耍，我们希望他们能意识到在这个瞬息万变的世界里，存在于他们文化当中的爱与希望是多么重要。第二与建筑学科有关。当代建筑为了满足开发商的需求，几乎失去了它们的灵魂，尤其是像在香港这样的大都市。我们希望坪坦书屋能让人们意识到建筑的社会性也同等重要，社会影响力并不一定跟巨额资金挂钩，设计也不仅存在于高端项目之中，而建筑本身就必定有它存在的意义。
The value of this project lies in two fundamental lessons. The first relates directly to the children of Pingtan who beyond enjoying playing in the library have realized their culture is alove and remains relevant in this fastly changing world. The second relates to the discipline, at a moment when architecture especially in urban metropolis like Hong Kong seems to have lost its soul to ever demanding developers, makes one aware of the social importance of architecture. Social impact does not require large amounts of financial investment, design is not limited for highend projects, architecture must have a purpose.
▼施工过程 – 外观，construction site – exterior view © Condition_Lab
▼施工过程 – 内部空间，construction site – interior view © Condition_Lab
▼模型，model © Condition_Lab
▼场地平面图，site plan © Condition_Lab
▼底层平面图，ground floor plan © Condition_Lab
