Stepping into Xidong Library in Taichung's Beitun District, the first impression is not silence, but a sense of comfort that feels just right. Gentle air currents circulate through the space as sunlight falls softly across the pages of books, naturally slowing visitors' pace. According to the Taichung City Government's Cultural Affairs Bureau, this newly completed public library—designed around the core principles of “energy efficiency, sustainability, and health"—not only fills a long-standing gap in reading services east of the Dahan River in Beitun, but also serves as a warm and constant presence in residents' everyday lives through its people-centered architectural design.
From the earliest planning stages, Xidong Library integrated the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) into its design. Responding to Taichung's hot, humid summers and its cooler, milder winters and springs, the library adopts energy-saving strategies that prioritize stable north-facing natural daylight. This approach reduces western sun exposure and limits the impact of outdoor heat on indoor comfort and energy consumption. Since its opening, many visitors have shared their impressions, noting the absence of any sense of confinement even during long periods of reading. As one patron described it, “The high ceilings and bright natural light make the space feel open, with fresh air circulating throughout—it's comfortable the moment you step inside."
The building's exterior further supports sustainability through a double-layer thermal insulation façade that effectively blocks heat transfer and reduces the load on air-conditioning systems. In addition, the library incorporates an induced ventilation strategy. During winter and spring, it adopts an intermittent air-conditioning concept, integrating ventilation towers and a curved staircase to harness the chimney effect. This design draws in fresh outdoor air, promotes natural cross-ventilation, and reduces reliance on mechanical cooling—fulfilling the library's energy-saving and sustainability goals while ensuring excellent indoor air quality. The result is a truly “breathing library."
This human-centered, environmentally responsive design has earned professional recognition. Xidong Library received the Gold Award in the Best Planning and Design category at the 2023 National Outstanding Construction Awards, as well as the Honorable Mention Award in the Architectural Engineering category at the 2025 Taichung City Government Public Works Awards. The building has also been certified as a Gold-level candidate for Green Building standards and achieved a Level 1+ Building Energy Efficiency rating (near-zero carbon building), enabling citizens to naturally practice green living as part of their daily reading routines.
“It's not just the building that breathes—the interior spaces are equally thoughtful," the Cultural Affairs Bureau noted. Xidong Library is Taichung's first public library to fully adopt system-based modular furniture. All furnishings are manufactured off-site and assembled on location, achieving a “zero on-site carpentry" goal that significantly reduces construction dust and chemical adhesives. This approach ensures fresher indoor air and a safer environment for readers. The modular furniture can also be reconfigured, dismantled, and reused as needs change, allowing the library to grow alongside its community.
The arrangement of reading furniture accommodates users of all ages and reading scenarios. The library offers quiet seating for individual reading and reflection, as well as shared spaces designed for parent–child reading and small group discussions. Parents have shared that in such a bright, calm, and non-oppressive environment, children are better able to focus—describing the experience as “reading in a forest, relaxed and at ease."
The library's collection and spatial design are themed around “mountaineering and camping," weaving tent-inspired imagery, warm wood tones, and natural elements into the reading environment to evoke the feeling of camping outdoors. During its opening period, the library also launched the themed book exhibition Reading Under Canvas, featuring a curated selection of titles on hiking, camping, natural ecology, and environmental education. The exhibition has attracted many families eager to “connect with the mountains while staying in the city," learning to coexist harmoniously with nature through reading.
In this way, Xidong Library is more than a place to borrow books—it is a living space where people are invited to linger, read, and reconnect with both nature and everyday life.