China's petite Pinch Library wins big in 2014 design awards

In an earthquake-ravaged village in the Yunnan Province of China, architects John Lin and Olivier Ottevaere designed the Pinch library.

The project was selected for the Small Project of the Year award at the 2014 World Architecture Festival as well as the coveted Best of the Best Trophy at the 2014 Architecture and Design Trophy Awards.

A series of trusses lined with timber and a layer of aluminum waterproofing is anchored between the upper road and lower plaza. Inside, the trusses support a hovering bookshelf made from interlocking timber frames. School benches supply seating, while polycarbonate plastic doors open up to the plaza. To foster a knowledge exchange, the design team worked with a local timber company to learn about regional woods and construction techniques. Rather than abandon wood after the earthquake like the new housing blocks did, the Pinch Library reimagined its possibilities, creating an award-winning memorial library that rose above the rubble.