For my bachelor’s thesis, I chose the Zottegem Library. The biggest challenge lay in the sheer volume of books that needed to be accommodated within the room. There was simply not enough room for the collection, which led to a sense of chaos and poor acoustics, particularly when school groups visited.

With my design, I wanted to create a place where everyone can find peace — an environment where visitors can choose to retreat to work or simply avoid the hustle and bustle. That sense of safety, comfort and security reminded me of a cocoon. Based on that idea, I designed curved forms that wind their way through the building, allowing visitors to walk between the volumes and discover different genres of books.

The books are accessible from two sides, with a translucent, stretched fabric serving as the back panel of the bookcases. This fabric has an acoustic function and simultaneously provides soft light filtering. I chose two colours:

Terracotta for the busier areas, where school groups and lively activities take place.

Blue for the quiet areas, where students work and visitors can retreat.

The library has been designed as a place where everyone can feel at home.