Yunlin County Cheng Long Elementary School｜Joyful Reading House

Yunlin Chenglong Elementary School’s existing library also functions as the venue for large school activities and assemblies, forcing multiple needs to rely on the same set of furniture. As a result, the space cannot provide a comfortable reading environment. The school’s coastal location brings strong winds and high humidity, causing the old furniture to deteriorate and making it difficult to cultivate a warm reading atmosphere. By integrating the reading and art classrooms through a combined renovation, the school hopes to create a picture-book reading haven that children will enjoy.

Opening a Hidden Corner of Campus to Invite Children Into a Picture-Book Reading Nook

The renovation site sits deep within a corner of the campus, directly facing the art classroom, making it an ideal location for a picture-book reading corner. Guided by the concept of “linking reading with art, connecting words with images,” the design introduces large airtight glass doors and windows so that, when the lights are on, children can see this inviting reading space from afar. Upon entering, they are greeted by rows of display shelves whose colorful covers entice them to browse. A wooden platform area on the inner side defines an open, free-form interaction zone where children can sit, recline, flip through books, listen to stories, or interact with their peers, enjoying reading in a relaxed and joyful atmosphere.

From Campus to Community Engagement: Illuminating Chenglong Through Art and Reading

The design visually connects the reading corner with the art classroom across from it by using a consistent lighting-frame language and adding a small eave in the corridor between the two spaces. Inside, one wall is transformed into a chalkboard drawing wall, allowing children to express creativity and share their reading reflections, fostering learning motivation in an environment rich with both images and text. More than an artistic and literary hub for Chenglong Elementary School, this reading corner is envisioned as a shared community reading space—inviting families to visit on weekends and making “going to the elementary school to read” a new way for parents and children to spend time together, bringing cultural and educational vitality to the community.