OKIKURUMI.

This competition proposal re-imagines the 21st-century library as a community incubator for learning in remote contexts. The brief called for a compact library designed for 50 users, integrating both traditional and digital formats, while fostering accessibility, cultural exchange, and self-directed learning. Situated on Sakhalin Island, the project addresses the limited educational access. It celebrates the cultural heritage of the Ainu, Orok, and Nivkh peoples, as well as their preservation of traditional oral storytelling, music, and crafts. Thus, the Okikurumi & the Spirit of Curiosity library is a hybrid of knowledge and an environmental beacon, a place where books, workshops, and ecological learning overlap.

The design integrates multifunctional spaces, including a communal fire pit, craft areas, and a whale-watching lounge, blurring the boundaries between reading, gathering, and lived experience. Architecturally, the building expresses resilience and fragility through its materiality, using traditionally yakisugi-charred timber for durability and atmosphere. The proposal positioned the library as a catalyst for education, community, and cultural continuity in one of the world’s most remote regions.