Newark Bastion Library

Newark Bastion Library exists to protect and preserve the literature and knowledge housed within the towering, windowless, circular walls, creating separation from the wild forest outside to form a foreboding yet serene interior. A vast light well stretches from the basement floor to the sky above, delivering daylight to all levels of the proposal while protecting the books housed here from the harmful rays of direct sunlight. The proposal includes an auditorium, café, bookbinding workshop, basement archive, book-shelving, and the reading floor. Each boasts a subtly distinct atmosphere, with the café becoming lofty and aerated, while the basement feels rigid and impactful. Each space's unique environment is underpinned by the use of space deep within the solid walls.