On the afternoon of the 28th, in an alleyway in Samdeok-dong, Jung-gu, Daegu.
As I passed through the residential area behind Samduk Elementary School, a building reminiscent of a Japanese-style house caught my eye. Samdeokmaru Small Library is impressive with its unique patterned wooden walls and roof tiles that are different from those of traditional Korean houses.
You must take off your shoes to enter the library. This is because the floor is covered with tatami mats in Japanese style. Children who visited the library read books while sitting or lying down freely on the floor.
Kim Seon-mi (42, female), who visited the library with her son, said, “I feel like I’m in a Japanese-style accommodation facility ‘ryokan’ for a vacation. It’s amazing that there is a space like this in the city center.” Mr. Kim’s son, Choi Ji-hoon (12), went up to the attic and was busy doing homework at the academy. Choi said, “It feels cozy like going to his grandmother’s house in the countryside. I think she will ask her mother to come often,” he laughed.
● Overcoming the controversy over the remnants of Japanese colonial rule as a space welfare modelSamdeokmaru Small Library, which is a typical Japanese-style wooden building, is a Jeoksan house. It was built on August 16, 1939 during the Japanese colonial period as the principal residence of Daegu Deoksan Public Simsang Elementary School. After liberation, it was used as an official residence for the principals of Samdeok Elementary School.
However, it has been practically neglected since 2000 due to constant controversy over the remnants of Japanese colonial rule. In 2013, it was designated as National Registered Cultural Property No. 581 in recognition of its historical value as a modern educational facility, but the reaction of many citizens was cold. There was also a considerable opinion that the building should be liquidated because it was left behind by the Japanese when they left after liberation.
However, Jung-gu, Daegu paid attention to the historical and spatial value of this building. An official from Jung-gu said, “There was a possibility in terms of space welfare.” Space welfare is to provide welfare benefits to residents by creating social overhead capital스포츠토토 ( SOC ) facilities that are closely related to residents’ lives, such as sports facilities, libraries, and senior citizens’ centers .
Jung-gu, which took over the building from the Daegu Metropolitan Office of Education in 2014, decided to create a cultural education space here. An official from Jung-gu said, “Even though it is a building left by the Japanese, we persuaded the citizens that we can remember the painful history and overcome it and move toward the future.”
● Reborn as a neighborhood love room
Jung-gu opened the Samdeokmaru Small Library in July 2017 after three years of construction. This was the first case in which Jeoksan House, a modern heritage, was used as a public library.
Samdeokmaru Small Library has the characteristics of a Japanese-style house. There are 5 tatami rooms on a narrow floor, and 2 rooms are equipped with an attic. There are currently 5055 books in the general reading room, children’s reading room, and infant reading room. The advantage is that you can sit or lie on the floor and read a book. One side of the tatami room is equipped with toys and board games for children.
Samdeokmaru Small Library is also being used as a space for lifelong learning. Currently, knitting, Chinese classes, and transcription classes for adults are being held. Origami, reading, and picture book making for children are also held. A total of 7 programs are in operation, and all lessons are free. Choi Mi-jeong (39, female), a resident I met at the library, said, “When the heat was severe this summer, it served as a resting place and a meeting room for residents, and was also used as a meeting space.”
Samdeokmaru Small Library was recognized for excellence in space welfare in 2019 and won the grand prize at the Korea Space Welfare Awards. As word of mouth spread after winning the award, the number of foreign tourists visiting this place is also increasing, she said. Director Kim Kyung-ah said, “Many Japanese who study Jeoksan House are looking for it, and American and European tourists are also visiting.”
Taking advantage of the success of the small library in Samdeokmaru, Jung-gu plans to increase space welfare facilities utilizing the old city center of Daegu. Ryu Gyu-ha, head of the district, said, “Space welfare is a good way to bring life and vitality to underdeveloped residential areas.”