INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION
COMMUNITY LIBRARY & LEARNING SPACE
RESULT
COMMUNITY LIBRARY & LEARNING SPACE
Editorial reflection
Libraries today are evolving beyond repositories of books into vibrant spaces for learning, creativity, and community interaction. The Community Library & Learning Space Design Competition, organized by Archiol Competitions, challenged participants to reimagine libraries as inclusive, flexible environments that encourage lifelong learning, digital exploration, and social connection.
The submitted proposals explored innovative ways to make knowledge accessible while fostering meaningful community engagement. We congratulate all participants for their thoughtful contributions and for envisioning libraries as catalysts for collective growth and shared experiences.
EXPERTS
Jury Panel
Distinguished architects from around the world evaluate submissions with rigorous professional standards and creative insight.
01 First Place
Winner
Learning Tide: A Community Library and Learning Space at Darukhana, Mumbai
Sivavel Sivakumar, Mohammad Faiz Nishar Kasu, Sharvin Jangle & Roshani Brahmanand Tiwari
Juror’s Comment:
The proposal stands out for its context-specific approach to community development. Reusing a decommissioned ship gives the project a meaningful relationship with Darukhana's maritime economy, while the integration of educational, cultural, and digital infrastructure expands the conventional role of a community library. The data centre adds a distinctive economic dimension to the proposal.
Work on:
The ambitious programme requires stronger evidence of structural feasibility, particularly for the suspended library and the adaptive reuse of the ship. The project would also benefit from clearer explanations of universal accessibility, fire and life safety, data-centre servicing and cooling, and the long-term maintenance of marine structures.
02 Second Place
Remarkable
Rethinking Belonging: A Community Library for Urban Dialogue
Abdelaziz Kamal
Juror’s Comment:
A compelling urban concept that translates the social values of Historic Jeddah into a contemporary civic environment. The interconnected public spaces, waterfront relationship, and diverse learning facilities reinforce the library's role as a community anchor.
Work on:
The extensive glazed façades and exposed public spaces require a more convincing response to Jeddah's hot climate. Greater detail on circulation, accessibility, structural feasibility, and environmental performance would strengthen the proposal.
03 Third Place
Exceptional
Fuel to Feel
Kang Jingwon & Koo Seohui
Juror’s Comment:
FUEL TO FEEL presents a compelling adaptive reuse strategy that transforms redundant infrastructure into a meaningful public resource. Its greatest strength is the integration of environmental regeneration, architectural identity, and community learning. Preserving the original canopy and concrete structure gives the project a connection to its industrial past, while timber construction and the new atrium create a warmer, more welcoming environment. The carefully considered child-centred dimensions further distinguish the proposal by translating users' physical and psychological needs into architectural decisions.
Work on:
The proposal would benefit from a more detailed demonstration of the technical feasibility of adapting a former gas station, particularly regarding underground fuel tanks, soil contamination, and environmental remediation. Further clarification of universal accessibility, circulation, and the operational relationship between public and quieter learning spaces would improve its functional resolution. Quantitative evidence of energy performance and material life-cycle impacts would also strengthen the sustainability claims.
Honourable Mention
Circulation Through Green Grided Gradients
Adrian Anguiano
Juror’s Comment:
The project offers a distinctive interpretation of the library as an inhabitable landscape. Its integration of furniture, circulation, colour, and ceiling heights creates a continuous spatial experience, while the courtyard extensions and diverse civic programmes encourage interaction and exploration.
Work on:
The open spatial arrangement requires clearer strategies for acoustic control, privacy, accessibility, and wayfinding. Further technical evidence of environmental performance and a more developed explanation of technology-enabled learning would strengthen the proposal.
Honourable Mention
Loka Sela
Si Hyun Lee, Puti Nabilah Zahra Bastary, Nadine Anissa Keynindra & Falisha Medina Andadari
Juror’s Comment:
Loka Sela presents a culturally grounded vision of the community library, connecting formal education with agriculture, weaving, craftsmanship, and intergenerational knowledge exchange. Its reinterpretation of Sasak architectural traditions, use of locally sourced timber, and network of communal spaces give the project a strong identity rooted in its setting.
Work on:
The distributed pavilion arrangement requires clearer resolution of circulation, accessibility, weather protection, and acoustic separation between reading and community activities. Greater technical detail on structural durability, maintenance, and the implementation of digital learning resources would strengthen the proposal.
Honourable Mention
The Third Chapter - To Open. To Spark. To Sustain
Tobyas Devon Maruli, Arka Artalla, Diantama Ramadhani & Betrand Orlando Verdy
Juror’s Comment:
The third chapter presents a thoughtful vision of the community library as an open and inclusive civic space. Its circular spatial composition, lightweight canopy, and integration of gathering areas create opportunities for informal learning and social interaction. The project successfully communicates the idea that architecture can strengthen neighbourhood life by making shared spaces welcoming and accessible.
Work on:
The proposal would benefit from a clearer demonstration of the library's functional organisation, including dedicated reading and study areas, book storage, digital learning facilities, and service spaces. Further development of the structural system, weather protection, and environmental performance would strengthen the proposal's practical feasibility and long-term sustainability.
Honourable Mention
INTERLOCK : Anchor of All Generations
Jihoon Chun
Juror’s Comment:
The proposal presents a clear and compelling vision of architecture as a catalyst for intergenerational connection. Its interlocking spatial arrangement, diverse community programmes, and strong central axis translate the concept into a coherent social and architectural experience.
Work on:
Strengthen the environmental strategy by demonstrating how the extensive glazed surfaces respond to local climatic conditions. Further refine circulation, acoustic separation, and accessibility while clarifying how digital learning facilities support the community library's long-term needs.
Celebrating Potential
Shortlisted Entries
Innovative ideas that stood out among hundreds of entries and earned a place in the final shortlist.
1. Design Title: The Craft Library
Winners Name: Beyza Ergün
2. Design Title: The Sankofa.
Winners Name: David Quarshie, Asiedu John, Aborah Kevin & Samuel Ntim Barnieh
3. Design Title: Gastrolibrary
Winners Name: Selin Acılıoğlu
4. Design Title: Inscription
Winners Name: Nida Çay
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