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Cedar Structure Featuring Translucent Polycarbonate Panels for Community Engagement

Authors:
Judy Liu, Elyse Jiang, Muyun Xiao
Cedar Structure Featuring Translucent Polycarbonate Panels for Community Engagement
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Constructed from cedar and featuring translucent polycarbonate panels, this mobile reading space adapts seamlessly to various environments, promoting community interaction and engagement with literature.
5 key facts about this project
01
Constructed with a bent A-frame design that enhances stability and aesthetic appeal.
02
Utilizes translucent polycarbonate panels for natural light while ensuring privacy.
03
Features movable wheels for effortless relocation across varied terrains.
04
Equipped with retractable stairs to improve accessibility for all users.
05
Incorporates community shelves for book exchanges and interactive engagement.

# Analytical Report on the Wandering Library: Portable Reading Room

## Project Overview
The Wandering Library is a mobile structure designed to redefine communal reading spaces through its adaptability to diverse environments, including both land and water. This portable facility serves as a venue for literature immersion, book exchanges, and quiet reflection, promoting engagement with the written word in tranquil settings.

## Spatial Design and Interaction

### Structural Form
The structure is characterized by an irregular semicircular shape, which serves both aesthetic and functional roles by guiding visitors towards the reading area while fostering interactions with the surroundings. The sweeping curves of the canopy provide a sense of enclosure, allowing views of the sky while employing opening mechanisms that respond to environmental conditions.

### Functional Components
Key elements of the design include bookshelves constructed from cedar wood, featuring polycarbonate fronts for visibility and protection of the literature. The integration of movable wheels enables the structure to traverse various terrains, enhancing its versatility for installation in different locations. Retractable stairs provide improved accessibility to the reading space, further contributing to its user-friendly design.

## Material Use and Sustainability
The choice of materials reflects both aesthetic considerations and durability. Cedar wood is utilized for the structural components, offering natural longevity and visual appeal. Translucent polycarbonate panels allow natural light to filter into the interior, ensuring privacy while maintaining an inviting atmosphere. Steel connectors are strategically incorporated to enhance stability, and glass elements, such as the sky window and book exchange box, promote interaction with the environment.

Incorporating innovative lighting elements, such as the top window, the design enriches the reading experience through the interplay of light and shadow. This approach fosters a serene ambiance, encouraging users to engage deeply with both the literature and the surrounding natural landscape.

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Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025
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100,000€ Prize / 2025
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The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025: Celebrating Architectural Creativity and Visionary Unbuilt Designs with a Total Prize Fund of €100,000

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Competition organisers

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025 is an international architecture competition dedicated to recognizing and celebrating the value of unrealized architectural designs. It invites architects, designers, and students worldwide to submit visionary projects that have not yet been constructed, highlighting the power of ideas and the creativity behind the design process. By focusing on unbuilt work, the competition aims to bring forward concepts that shape the future of architecture and push the boundaries of the profession. 

Participants can compete in three categories based on project scale: Small Wonders (up to 100 m²), Medium Marvels (101–999 m²), and Large Visions (over 1,000 m²). Each category winner will receive €20,000, and additional prizes include honorable mentions, student awards, and a special Best Presentation Award. Winning projects will gain significant international exposure through Buildner’s publicity campaign and a feature article on ArchDaily, providing a unique opportunity to showcase creative ideas to a global audience. 

The Buildner’s Unbuilt Award 2025 encourages entrants to submit any type of unbuilt project, from conceptual visions to detailed designs, celebrating bold innovation without the constraints of realization. Important deadlines: registration closes on October 30, 2025; submissions are due by November 20, 2025; winners will be announced on December 17, 2025.

Buildner's Unbuilt Award 2025

Celebrating your unbuilt architecture visions with a €100,000 prize

100,000€ Prize / 2025 ideas COMPETITION
Prize 100,000 €
Eligibility Open to all
Final registration deadline 30 October 2025

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