Stalk-like arches and mushroom-inspired canopies create a whimsical shelter for the Mushroom Library, a children’s space in Yanzitou Village, rural China. Imagined as a “fantastical village landmark,” this unique library welcomes visitors and serves as the inviting gateway to a future community center.
Drawing inspiration from the fungi that thrive in the nearby forests, the design blends seamlessly with its natural surroundings. More than just an architectural statement, the Mushroom Library stands as a symbol of cultural resilience, offering a vibrant place for learning and connection. Here, children and adults alike can gather, fostering bonds across generations in a setting that sparks imagination.
Designer: Kong Xiangwei Studio
“With only 71 households, the village struggles with depopulation and aging residents as youth migrate for work,” said Kong Xiangwei Studio. “Yet weekends brim with vitality as children return from town schools, filling the plaza near the village history museum with laughter. The book house, sited on a narrow rocky plot between two old dwellings and shaded by a sprawling raisin tree, acts as both a cultural gateway to the future community centre and a beacon for rural rejuvenation.”
Carefully constructed around an existing raisin tree, the Mushroom Library is a testament to creative collaboration with local artisans. Its striking structure features ribbed steel bars skillfully woven into tall, arching forms that echo the shape of mushrooms. Concrete is then poured around these arches, giving the building its sturdy yet organic feel. Above, an irregularly-shaped canopy stretches out, dotted with circular openings that let natural light pour in. One special opening allows the central tree to continue growing right through the roof, seamlessly blending nature with architecture and making the tree an integral part of the library’s enchanting atmosphere.
“The iconic mushroom-shaped roof shifts in character: viewed from the east alley, it resembles a hat brim, from above, a whimsical face,” said the studio. “At night, illuminated like a levitating UFO, the structure becomes a fantastical village landmark.” The roof of the Mushroom Library is thoughtfully designed to create an ever-changing play of light and shadow in the reading room below. As sunlight filters through a central sculptural feature made of steel rods and colorful acrylic panels, it fills the space with vibrant, shifting patterns that inspire curiosity and imagination.
Along the edges of the reading room, timber bookshelves nestle between gracefully stepped and curved concrete walls, offering cozy nooks for children to explore new stories. This harmonious blend of natural light, color, and clever design makes the library a bright and inviting place to read and discover. “Cast-in-place concrete vaults replace traditional thatch and earth materials, ensuring resilience while evoking a primal shelter. A sloped curved wall serves as seating, where children recline to watch sunlight traverse the space, transforming the book house into a living theatre of light and time,” the studio concluded.
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