Last week a very interesting building opened up in Seoul.
The temporary structure, a project from the Office for Metropolitan Architecture/Rem Koolhaas (famous/infamous in the library world as the force behind Seattle Public Library), can be lifted with three cranes and rearranged to rest on different sides for different purposes. Events planned include a fashion show, movie screenings, and art exhibition.
I have been interested in libraries using slightly alternative form factors for a little while (more thoughts on a cafe branch, also see Nate Hill’s library outpost) and I’m increasingly interested in library buildings being as flexible as possible. Clearly the Prada Transformer is more of a thought experiment than the solution to a real problem but I admire the extremes to which this project explores the idea of adaptable space.
Previously, Koolhaas built a transformable house for a wheelchair bound man. Check out some footage from a documentary about the house.
Interesting design. The first thing that struck me when I saw it was: imagine the manpower and energy it would take to re-set it. Probably not the greenest of alternatives.