In the 21st century, public libraries have evolved beyond their traditional role of
providing information to become hybrid facilities that support cultural activities, social
interaction, and user stay. Driven by the expansion of digital information e...
In the 21st century, public libraries have evolved beyond their traditional role of
providing information to become hybrid facilities that support cultural activities, social
interaction, and user stay. Driven by the expansion of digital information environments
and the diversification of user behavior, libraries are no longer confined to quiet,
reading-room–oriented layouts but are increasingly oriented toward inclusive spaces for
social engagement. However, the hybridization of public libraries has been implemented
differently across Korea, China, and Japan, reflecting each country’s policy orientation
and sociocultural context. Systematic research that clearly identifies these structural
differences remains limited.
This study aims to identify national differences in hybridization strategies by applying
Visibility Graph Analysis (VGA) to 15 modern public libraries in Korea, China, and Japan.
Spatial indicators—Connectivity, Through vision, and Integration (P90/M)—were derived
and comparatively analyzed. By distinguishing between the local cohesiveness
represented by Integration(P90) and the global strategic structure represented by
Integration(M), the study demonstrates that interior hybridization cannot be determined
solely by partial architectural devices such as halls or grand staircases. In addition,
sociopsychological spatial theories, including sociopetal and sociofugal concepts, were
integrated with the Through vision indicator to interpret how furniture layout,
stay-related psychology, and visual flow within reading areas influence user experience.
To minimize distortion caused by differences in floor area, all VGA indicators were
normalized for comparison.
A survey of 122 Korean public librarians was conducted to collect expert perspectives
on spatial perception and user experience. Using SPSS, internal reliability was verified
through Cronbach’s α, and correlation analysis was performed to examine relationships
between visual structural indicators and cognitive–psychological factors. The results
indicate that Korean libraries exhibit a centrally cohesive structure that provides clear
circulation and spatial stability, yet shows limited potential for expansion into complex
cultural spaces. Chinese libraries display high Through vision values, reflecting visually
expansive, platform-oriented spatial strategies. Japanese libraries demonstrate
stay-oriented spatial strategies that enhance visual segmentation and psychological
stability through furniture and mass configuration within open-plan layouts. These
differences are interpreted as outcomes of structural factors such as national policy,
urban context, and user perception being directly reflected in library spatial
composition.
Korean public libraries cannot be regarded as complex cultural spaces merely due to
the presence of formal architectural devices such as grand staircases or central halls.
The hybridization of public libraries should be grounded not in the adoption of partial
spatial elements but in the strategic coherence of overall spatial syntax (Integration M),
the multilayered configuration of space experience based on user behavior, and a
cultural shift capable of accommodating such changes. In conclusion, this study
interprets public library hybridization strategies through a multilayered spatial cognition
framework encompassing perception, cognition, experience, and strategy, and provides
practical and theoretical implications for future public library design, including balancing
visual openness and integration, supporting the coexistence of social interaction and
individual immersion, and transitioning from cohesive center-oriented layouts to
network-based spatial structures.