Dwight School Seoul Spark of Genius Center

Seoul, Korea | 2023
[ SARA NY Design Award of Excellence | Openhouse Seoul ]

Designing a school library that fosters and sustains diversity is a complex challenge, especially in multi-grade settings. Libraries must cater to growing children, their evolving knowledge, cross-disciplinary curricula, and their cultural and social individuality.

The Dwight Spark of Genius Center addresses this challenge by uniting elementary, middle, and high school libraries into a single collaborative space. Its diverse spatial ecosystem gives each curriculum area a unique identity, fostering a sense of ownership among students while encouraging solidarity across age groups.

At the heart of the design is the “growing bookshelf,” a linear feature that adapts to different age groups. At its eastern end, the lower shelves and a sunlit study-play zone with a hammock and multi-functional “stadium” welcome preschool and elementary children. Moving toward the middle school area, the bookshelf expands alongside book stacks reminiscent of a micro-city, complete with a treehouse. For high school students, the tallest section of the bookshelf provides pod-like nooks for focused study.

Two shared zones further unite the students: a double-height book tower symbolizing the cumulative power of knowledge and a flexible, modular space near the entrance designed to accommodate both casual and formal learning environments. Together, these features create a library that inspires connection, learning, and creativity across all ages.

EXPANDED ENTRY: Located at the end of the school’s main corridor, a stainless steel mirror amplifies daylight and expands the library’s presence within the school

PRESCHOOL ZONE: A stepped area adjacent to the entry supports learning and socializing

SITE PLAN: The library is centrally located on the 3rd floor within the school courtyard

ENTRY CANOPY: Views and design elements of the new library enhance the existing corridor

DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM: Pre-school, elementary, middle, and high-school areas have their own specific atmosphere and identity

GROWING SHELF: Functioning as its symbolic center, the main bookshelf ‘grows’ from elementary to high school zones literally and metaphorically organizing the library

HAMMOCK AND AMPHITHEATER: Flexible learning and play spaces can be used daily

COLLABORATION: While each age group has their own space, the design inspires collaboration and peer learning in small or large groups

NORTH-SOUTH SECTION

AMPHITEATER DESK: The space behind the stadium is a curved community desk with immediate access to events at the stadium

READING NOOKS: For older students, individual and smalll group study is essential for test preparation and defining individual interests

BOOK TOWER: A double-height book tower recalls historical libraries and represents the knowledge core of the school

BOOK TOWER: A Piranesian stair winds around the tall bookshelves – as time progresses, more books will fill the space

MODULAR FURNITURE The multipurpose room can support many teaching and study scenarios

LEARNING ECOSYSTEM: The diverse ecosystem of spaces allows students to invent their own way of learning and socializing

Architect
John Hong AIA, LEED AP (principal in charge) + Yeongshin Sim, Eunseop Suh (team leaders)
Hoseung Lee, Dongeun Yoo, Jeongsoo Lee, Jinyeong Yang, Euncho Kim (design team)

Architect of Record
Kwangyup Jang, Dyne Architects and Planners

Contractor
Din Construction

Photography
P:A

Project Info
Location: Dwight School Seoul
Program: Library

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