Massive New Branch of Shanghai Library to Open in 2021
Shanghai will soon be home to a new sanctum of knowledge as well as a cultural landmark. The East Branch of the Shanghai Library, which is currently under construction, is slated to open to the public in 2021, reports Shine.
Breaking ground back in 2017, the library was designed by a Danish architecture firm called Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL) and constructed by Shanghai Construction No.4 (Group) Co. The appearance of the library resembles a glimmering diamond – some are even dubbing it as the ‘floating jade in the oasis.’
Image via 上海发布/Weibo
Occupying an area of 114,951 square meters and spanning over nine floors (two of which will be underground), the complex will house a collection of 4.8 million books and feature approximately 6,000 seats.
Image via Kankanews
Located in Pudong New Area, the library is surrounded by Century Park, Shanghai Science and Technology Museum and Shanghai Oriental Art Center. Together these pavilions will form a cluster of culture and offer a comprehensive experience to the residents nearby.
The biggest feature of the complex is that over 80% of its area will be public space. “We hope readers can discover new things and communicate with other users of the building,” said Chris Hardy, Creative Director of SHL. “Therefore, we will create a lot of public areas to encourage these connections to happen.” According to Chris, the library will be “a study, a living room and a studio” for all the visitors.
Image via Kankanews
Like the Shanghai Grand Opera House, the East Branch of the Shanghai Library is also one of the most imperative projects of Shanghai’s 13th Five-Year Plan (2016-2020). Currently, 70% of the construction has been completed and the complex is expected to open to the public in 2021.
[Cover image via Xinmin]
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