The Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC, from the Portuguese acronym) hosted a press conference on 8 March, presenting the selection results for the conceptual design proposals of the new Macao Central Library. The President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Mok Ian Ian, the Vice President of the Cultural Affairs Bureau, Leong Wai Man, the representative of experts who participated in the selection panel of the new Macao Central Library, Wu Jianzhong and the Head of the Department of Public Library Management, Loi Chi Pang, attended the press conference and presented the selection results of the conceptual design proposals of the new Macao Central Library and its functional planning. In the future, in terms of meeting the needs of all ages, diversification and life, the new Macao Central Library will integrate diversified and inclusive features and will become the city’s knowledge centre for reading, communication, learning, leisure and creativity development, as well as a smart library integrated with information technology. IC will continue to promote the relevant works and announce the progress of the project in a timely manner.
Comprehensive consideration based on multiple criteria and participation of the local industry in building the new Macao Central Library
The cultural development of the new Macao Central Library has been a very significant project for the Macao SAR Government. In September 2020, IC announced the location selected for the new Macao Central Library and proposals of four conceptual designs from internationally renowned architectural design teams. All proposals have their own characteristics and advantages. Therefore, IC invited national and foreign authoritative experts in the library sector who participated in building large-scale libraries to provide professional opinions. After a careful estimation and comprehensive consideration, including the experts’ opinions, the overall cost and the difficulty of construction, the energy conservation and maintenance, the functional design and the cost of design, the most appropriate design proposal for Macao was selected. The team of experts included the Advisor to the Library Buildings and Equipment Section Standing Committee of the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions (IFLA), Karen Latimer; the Member of Library Buildings and Equipment Section Standing Committee of the IFLA, and the Librarian of the University of Macau, Wu Jianzhong; the Member of the Executive Committee of the IFLA Governing Board, and the Vice President of the Library Society of China, Cheng Huanwen; and the former Deputy Director of the National Library of China and the former Executive Deputy Director of the National Library of China, Chen Li.
In consideration of the fulfilment in all aspects of the criteria, the proposal of the Dutch design team Mecanoo was selected, which received higher evaluations from the experts. The experts believe that the overall conceptual design is both inspiring and multifunctional. The interior circulation planning is simple and rigorous, clearly grasping how contemporary mainstream public libraries perfectly combine open and private spaces in order to meet the needs for learning and gathering. The concept of the overall design aims to attract residents to visit the library. With an inclusive, open and accessible design, the library becomes a place where everyone can have a sense of belonging. The Mecanoo team, with high recognition in the international architectural design sector, has participated in a number of library construction and design projects and has won many international architectural design awards. It has extensive experience in the design and practice of library building projects. IC expressed its gratitude to the four participating teams for the conceptual design in the press conference.
In order to provide the local construction industry with opportunities for sustainable development, learning and cultivating local professionals, the local construction professionals will participate in the construction of the new Macao Central Library. The selected team will collaborate with local teams to carry out the elaboration of project. IC will work with the public works department to promote the next phase of the works.
Taking into account public opinions of building a car park and employing a new concept for a functional planning
IC also attaches great importance to the opinions of the industries and the public and seeks opinions from representative organizations specialized in local bibliographic information and engineering and construction industries. IC has collected opinions through the activity “The Library in My Heart” to understand the public’s opinions and needs for the services and functions of the library in the future. A total of 751 opinions were received until today. Most opinions show the concerns on the functional space and complementary facilities of the library, as well as the service, activities and collection available in the future. IC will incorporate the relevant opinions in the design requirements of the next phase of the project, including the consideration of building an underground car park.
In the future, the new Macao Central Library will have a positive interaction with the surrounding environment, binding the adjacent Tap Siac Square as part of the design and promoting the vitality of the whole public area. Regarding the functional planning, the new Macao Central Library will surpass the public’s imagination in relation to traditional libraries, which it meets the needs for a multifunctional library in the 21st century. In terms of meeting the needs for all ages, diversification and life, it also provides a complex space for reading, communication, learning, leisure and creativity development. It is a place closely associated with life. Moreover, new concepts are employed in the library space, supporting a wide range of features such as auditoriums, multi-functional meeting rooms, Makerspace (creation area, exchange area, reading corner, exhibition area, etc.), multimedia technology spaces, children’s reading area, family library, toy library, family activity rooms, learning classes, information technology exploration and service area, as well as a large number of smart facilities for the general public to share the learning and creative resources. Universal facilities will also be available for the entire population. IC hopes to integrate culture into everyone’s life by building this city’s knowledge centre.
Continue to promote the partial opening plan of the former Iec Long Firecrackers Factory and carry out a revitalization plan on the premise of retaining its original layout
In addition, IC received the former Iec Long Firecrackers Factory last December and is actively preparing the works related to the partial opening plan of the site. Taking the former Iec Long Firecrackers Factory as Macao’s existing largest and representative firecrackers industrial site into account, IC will carry out a revitalization plan on the premise of retaining its architectural structures and original layout, including the ponds, waterways, trees and other principal elements. Currently, IC actively promotes the relevant works, retaining the architectural structures and original layout of the former Iec Long Firecrackers Factory, and restoring the original appearance of the building in an orderly manner.