The Living Narrative

Abstract

Architecture is the canvas for the stories of our lives. It adapts and fulfills the needs of those around us, dispersed throughout cities that are constantly growing. Yet, as the world evolves and technology advances, architecture preserves the everlasting significance of the past. Architectural forms create usable space that can change and evolve through time. My research began when I questioned if there was a depletion in the demographics of architecture regarding the function of a building. Libraries have been a timeless foundation to knowledge are known to hold a significance in preserving the past through books, manuscripts, photos, documents, and other archives. My interest in how the space can change through the evolution of technology ultimately made me wonder how architecture can redefine the roles of a library of the future? The concept of a library is still useful for the growth of knowledge, but the space needs to evolve to incorporate the use of technology and all the things that come with it. When looking at the future of libraries, we see that libraries that were once totally physical are now becoming virtual. The individual focus has turned to community focus. Libraries once made for collection are now becoming spaces for creation and collaboration. Instead of presenting everything for everyone, it is becoming a presentation of more niche topics that are currently relevant (Rainie, 2018). With this understanding of the developing ideas of the future of libraries, I wanted to focus on a concept used throughout history and modernize it. The living narrative is a nontraditional library guided by the past with visions towards the future. Its mission is to enhance individuals' and communities' engagement in history and culture through storytelling; these stories will celebrate and bring awareness to the collective history of the world. The living narrative provides the opportunity to advance commerce in society through knowledge of the importance of the written world.