Paper Library
The installation „Paper Library“ was built for the "Paper Object Festival":http://www.papiraobjekti.lv/eng/ in Riga, Latvia, which took place as a part of European Capital 2014.
The festival invited artists and architects from Japan and one of them was Tomomi Hayashi, a Japanese architect who has worked in Estonia since 2001.
The task was to use paper in outdoor public space to draw attention to the unique urban environment of wooden buildings of the area through limitless potential of paper. During the site visit around the area there was found a graffitied building at the edge of a small park. It was the Zvirbulis (sparrow in Latvian) library, lonely-looking one-storey building. We found there can be something what architect can do through installation. It was a challenge for us to create a large-scale installation out of paper even though paper has been our favourite material for models and drawings.
The installation represents three layer of time - wood, brick and paper. The library building was originally built as a wooden summer house in 1880 and then turned into a public library in the 1960′s and covered with silica bricks (typical of soviet building). The paper created the third layer, softly encasing the building with its crisp white edges.
This time, presence of paper stored in the library as books will be embodied through the installation, highlighting its unique location, importance to the community and need for love and care.
4 mm thick 2-ply white cardboards were fold and fixed onto the wooden battens. Total of 260 modules were installed.
The installation was on view during the festival from 27.06 – 20.07.2014.
Location: Zvirbulis library, Lapu iela 24, Riga
Organiser: Kalnciema Quarter, http://www.kalnciemaiela.lv/
Curator: Una Meiberga
Assistants: Kitija Vasiljeva, Arta Tabaka, Brigita Stroda
Graphic Design: Estere Rožkalne/ Graftik
Technical realization: Egons Baranovs, Jānis Zvirgzds-Zvirgzdiņš & Co
Support: EU-Japan Fest Japan Commitee, Foundation Rīga 2014, Riga City Council
