Liyuan Library in Beijing

More than 40,000 sticks were cut to a uniform length and used to clad the exterior of a glazed shell. The multiple layers of sticks not only act as decoration, they also filter the daylight to create a nice ambience for reading. "From season to season, the color of the sticks will change with the mountain," Li says.

As there is no artificial coating, Li expects the sticks to house birds and other wildlife.

"The sticks came from nature and will eventually evolve into part of nature again. I want the building to have the least impact on the landscape, which echoes the Chinese philosophical idea that humans are part of nature."

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