Microlibrary 

In 2012 there was an initiative in Indonesia to create 100 micro libraries with a mission to make learning attractive and reachable for Indonesia and beyond. This in turn helps with advancing education and reach the people and public in need. The libraries are aimed to be situated in urban situations such as parks opposed to being only in city centres, therefore reaching out into the urban fabric. One of the unique designs is the microlibrary in Bandung, Indonesia. The design has a simple facade that uses recycled plastic ice cream tubs to cover the walls of the elevated library. These tubs bring in ventilation and the natural white colour enables natural light to reach the interior. A pixelated surface of closed and hollow tubs is made by the architects to display a message which reads “books are the windows to the world” in Indonesian, depicting a message from Bandung’s mayor. The space provides teaching and other activities aimed at combatting the country’s high illiteracy and school dropout rates. The entire project was completed to a budget of around AUD $50.000. Sustainability in recycling plastic ice cream jugs to reduce waste in the city, as well as community engagement has been reached.