Keio University Library, Mita Campus

The Keio University Library faces a lively student plaza that is one of the most active spaces on Keio's Mita Campus. In deference to this plaza, the library stacks (accounting for most of the building's volume) have been placed underground, while the upper stories are set back. The basic unit of the exterior composition is a double-height 8-meter square. T-frame beams in the middle of this unit and smaller columns supplement this expression, allowing the building to respond to both larger and smaller scales of its surroundings.

Location: Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
Completion Date: 1981
Building Type: University, Library
Structural System: Steel Reinforced Concrete
Number of Floors: 5 Basement Levels + 7 Stories
Site Area: 48,400m²
Building Area: 1,621m²
Total Floor Area: 15,188m²
Structural Engineer: Kimura Structural Engineers
Mechanical / Electrical Engineer: Sogo Consultants
■ URL
http://www.mita.lib.keio.ac.jp/
■ Publication
SD:1986.1
Architectural Record:1983.5
Shinkenchiku:1983.3, 1982.6
JA:1983.3
Kenchiku Bunka:1983.3, 1982.6
Nikkei Architecture:1983.2.14, 1982.5
■ Awards / Competition
Building Contractors Society Prize(1983)
Japan Library Association Architectural Award(1985)