Glass-domed rooms grace five-story atrium.
Depending on your study habits, you might think of your university library as informative, mentally stimulating, or the perfect place to take a nap while ditching class. Odds are, though, you wouldn’t describe it as “awesome”…unless you happen to go to Seikei University, that is.
Located in Tokyo’s Kichijoji-Kitamachi neighborhood, Seikei celebrated its centennial in 2006. As part of the festivities, a new library was constructed,
Approaching the glassy façade of the five-story building, one can immediately tell that the interior will make use of open space and natural light, both of which should be beneficially refreshing to the young minds within its walls.
But what really makes Seikei’s library special is its five student meeting rooms, one located on the third floor, and two each on the fourth and fifth. They’re each called “Planet,” and looking at them, the name seems incredibly appropriate.
The meeting rooms sit like glass-domed little worlds atop their support pillars, and are accessed by a series of walkways. Officially, the Planet name has a double meaning, referencing both “heavenly body” and combining “plan” and “net(work).”
Inside you’ll find chairs, conference desks, monitors, and white boards. Sadly, there are no pre-made piles of paper airplanes to send sailing down through the library’s atrium.
▼ All of a sudden, that single-person study carrel looks awfully uninspired.
If you’ve already graduated, or you’re currently enrolled in a university other than Seikei, you might be kicking yourself for missing out on the chance to spend your student days with access to such an amazing facility. Thankfully, you can take a virtual your of the library here, or apply for an English-language tour of the actual building here.
Related: Seikei University, Seikai University library
Source: Byokan Sunday
Images: Seikei Online