Warak Kayu MicroLibrary is the fifth project in the MicroLibrary series, an initiative to increase interest in reading in a number of low-income neighborhoods. They decided to instill a love of books through the creation of multifunctional community centers with eco-friendly design and materials. The project was a collaboration between the local community, private sector and government – the city of Semarang received the building as a gift from the foundation. Admission to the library is free, and the entire complex, in collaboration with the government, is managed by a local charity.
After going through a large number of design proposals, the concept with a separate building standing on an elevated site was deemed the most successful. It pays homage to Indonesia’s traditional houses on stilts. It functions not only as a library, it replaces a full-fledged community center, and in addition, it promotes the use of local wood and labor.
There is an outside area under the building that can be used for workshops, film screenings, and wooden swings for children. The area is surrounded by boxed flowerbeds, creating a secluded atmosphere. And in the building itself, there is a library upstairs, part of which is made in the form of a grid, on which children and adults can lie down, relax, read, and even chat with those below. To make the library a popular place, we had to make it multifunctional, because reading in its pure form is not yet too popular in Indonesia.