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Do you know Larchiveum?

Larchiveum is a compound word consisting of library, archive, and museum. It is a term suggested by Professor Megan Winget of Texas University in a magazine interview in 2008 as one of the models of convergence organization.₁

Later on, Larchiveum was formed as a discussion after being mentioned by the domestic record management experts and was accepted as a major policy direction for large-scale archive businesses, such as The Asia Culture Center, The Korea National Archives of the Arts, The National Center for Korean Traditional Performing Arts, etc. These days, a separate space with the name ‘Larchiveum’ can be found in MMCA Cheongju.

In fact, it is far before 2008 that the recording · preservation organizations started actively accepting the exhibition designs like this. After the opening of the Pompidou Center in 1977, the public libraries in Europe started renovating themselves as complex cultural spaces, and after the ’90s, spaces that think of themselves as ‘Médiathèque’ rather than ‘Bibliothèque’ like the Montpellier Library. After 2000, the term LAM (Library, Archive, Museum) spread and later on developed as GLAM with ‘Gallery’ added in the front.

The Changes in Patterns of Library use

Larchiveum is one of the cultural phenomena that suddenly rose as the global flow of ‘creation of large-scale complex cultural space’ started to be accepted as a domestic context. Even those who have never heard of the term ‘Larchiveum’ already know that the role of libraries is no longer limited to the management of books, if they visited public libraries recently. These days, libraries are settling down as one of the lifestyles that form the local community on the one hand, and are also used as a space of recreation for a group of creators and experts that enhances people’s abilities by utilizing a wide range of digital-based archive on the other.

The situation where libraries keep changing can also provide supporting evidence that the usage pattern of library is also changing. Rather than the previous atmosphere of libraries where the readers were forced to focus on reading in silence, the library policy of Korea started to fulfill the flow of an era. Book lounges enable people to ‘leisurely’ enjoy various media, not to mention books. Eventually, the successful creation of Larchiveum depends on how user-friendly space is designed for and how creatively it can reflect the technical and social changes that go with it.

The Library that Possesses 30,000 Books

ACC Library Park as a Larchiveum

ACC Library park is a 14,000 square meter-sized public-friendly space, intentionally located on B3 and B4 floors of Asia Cultural Center that had Larchiveum in mind. It has been maintaining 400,000 average number of users for five years since its official opening in November 2015 but started reconstruction in 2020 to increase the number of visitors as well as the returning rate. The overall reopening is scheduled for November 25th of this year, but the library and lobby spaces have already opened on May 11th.

To recall the previous structure, bookshelves were lined up along the windows of the outermost corner, and exhibitions related to 13 different topics of Asian cultures were arranged along with the books. This kind of structure makes the users difficult to enjoy the “loose” entertainment, which is important in envisioning Larchiveum, because reading and exhibition spaces cause confusion, and reading and resting spaces are separated.

It could be successful in terms of integrating three spaces with different functions as the Larchiveum pursues, but quite unsatisfying in terms of user convenience. Therefore, the goal of the renovation is to clearly separate bookshelves, reading, resting, and exhibition space but induce a natural flow of visitors’ movement to create one integrated space.

Together and Separately: Lobby—Books—Exhibition Space

The Library Park, after its reopening, gives a sense of expansion as the lobby area was broadened. Passing through the entrance and the information desk, the path leads visitors to a café (will be opening soon) and resting space. The big sofa beds are placed here to use the bamboo garden outside as their background, which encourages visitors to stay longer.

With the lobby area as the center, the left side is the reading area, and the right side is the exhibition area. In the reading area, the books related to Asian culture (30,000 books) are gathered in one place rather than lining up along the window. Inside the reading area, electric desks for wheelchair users are placed. The designer intended to create a ‘barrier-free zone’ here. Desks and chairs with various sizes and designs can also be seen with digital reading rooms and single sofas that can place personal laptops.

Resting Space with Bamboo Garden and Sofas

Those who would like to spend a more relaxed reading time will naturally lead to the sofa beds in the lobby area. A little further from there, there is a table that displayed different daily newspapers; turning right, you’ll see an exhibition space. The exhibition space is still under construction but soon will be holding a special reopening exhibition along with the archive and technology-based exhibitions with media walls installed here and there.

Large-scale Stairs Reading Space Created as a Sunken Space

The most remarkable space after the reopening is the stairs that connect the third and fourth basement levels. The stairs reading space designed low and wide boasts its scale as if they are claiming here is created for reading. The sunken space will soon be known as one of the famous spots of the Library Park with its gentle slope and warm atmosphere of lumbar.

Digital Reading Room and Periodic Publications Corner

Easy Feet Comfortable Eyes Familiar Ears

Once you look around the space, the structure is clear enough to identify what to do, where to find them, and where to go for the next visit. The overall intensity of illumination has been lowered but instead personal lightings have been installed. Also, fabric materials for furniture and floor are used to minimize the diffused reflection. Rather than forcing silence, it includes the familiar amount of low noise to relax our minds. With easy feet, comfortable eyes, and familiar ears, the newly renovated ACC Library Park is a well-developed book lounge in one sentence. This is why the total reopening, including the exhibition space, is highly anticipated.

The list of books and collections is provided in the ‘Asian Culture Archive’ within the ACC website. It is also linked to Korea’s biggest cultural art digital archive called DA-Arts. We no longer can whine about not being able to find materials online.

ACC Library Park is ready to re-spect the visitors. Re-visiting is up to the readers.

1) “LJ Talks to Megan Winget, Who Studies Preservation of Online Games” Library Journal, 2008. 7. 30.

• Written by Jin-Ho Yang. zino.yang@gmail.com
  Photo. In-ho Hwang. photoneverdie@naver.com
  
  2021.07