Daebo Engineering & Construction, the construction affiliate of Daebo Group, said on the 30th that Gyeonggi Library, which the company built, has opened.
Gyeonggi Library, ordered by Gyeonggi Housing & Urban Development Corporation (GH), was completed in Gwanggyo New Town's Gyeonggi Convergence Town in Iui-dong, Yeongtong-gu, Suwon, with a total floor area of 27,775 square meters (about 8,400 pyeong), spanning four basement levels to five above-ground floors.
Among libraries run by local governments nationwide, it is the largest public library, and the third-largest library in Korea after the National Library of Korea and Seoul National University Central Library. Its collection holds 350,000 volumes, including e-books.
The library's exterior is a nonstandard form that looks like a UFO has landed on the ground, and the interior uses a spiral layout without floor divisions so patrons can browse the stacks as if walking along a promenade. Its distinctive look has earned it the nickname "snail library."
Gyeonggi Library, which promotes itself as an "eco-friendly library," uses geothermal and solar energy for heating and cooling, and not only has Scandia moss (natural moss) installed along the spiral staircase for air purification, humidity control, and noise reduction, but also features abundant interior green space.
Alongside a design that considers age and cultural diversity—such as infants, children, adolescents, young adults, seniors, families, people with disabilities, and multicultural users—it also offers specialized facilities including an artificial intelligence (AI) studio, lecture halls, exhibition areas, creative spaces, a local bookstore lounge, board games, a youth cafe, and a game play area.