design
principles of printing and movable type originated in China, until digital printing was developed over the last 30 years, it was extremely difficult and expensive to type and print anything in Chinese. Anyway, my agreeable task has been to give them something that reflects the best of both disciplines and somewhere to work and study which imbues them with the essence of western university libraries whilst also respecting their own traditions. This has been less about imitating the past but more about proving the past’s relevance to the future.” The furniture (85% made in the UK) for
the 820 sqm library was installed late last year. “We’ve consciously taken some of the furniture forms illustrated in silk paintings from the Ming and Sung dynasties and given them a contemporary twist,” Luke Hughes adds. Animating the library environment are
some individual artistic commissions including, bronze door handles (in the form of two dancing dragons, one Chinese and one Welsh) designed by sculptor, Jill Watson; calligraphy in stone by Caroline Webb and on paper by Keystone teacher Han Dong; together with signage designed by Brian Webb which displays a hundred quotations in Latin, English and Chinese. Apart from the practical matters (of
providing shelves for books and readers’ spaces), the new library includes provision for temporary exhibitions, specialist teaching rooms and a rare-books section. Some of the space retains some flexibility for rearrangement, for presentations by visiting academics, poets and musicians.
www.lukehughes.co.uk
Animating the library environment are a number of artefacts created by craftsmen – hand carved slate lettering; an oxidised bronze ‘burned book’; and dragons cast in bronze form the door handles at the entrance
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