When you were a kid, chances are a trip to the library didn’t sound like the most exciting way to spend your afternoon. After all, the library was a dingy place with poor lighting and dusty books, right? China is out to change that. There is a new library out there that features books in such a creative and fascinating way, you’ll have to see it to believe it.
This spectacular library is located in the Binhai Cultural District of Tianjin, near the northern coast of China. It was designed by MVRDV, a Dutch architectural firm named from the initials of its creators, in collaboration with Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute . MVRDV “engages globally in providing solutions to contemporary architectural and urban issues,” according to their website.
The library is 5 stories tall, and because of its structural design is known as “the Eye of Binhai.”
The designer explains: “the library, one part of a cultural complex masterplan, bases itself around a spherical auditorium which, coupled with the main atrium, forms an eye that acts as a focal point for the interior space. Terraced bookshelves echo the sphere throughout the atrium, leading users up into the heart of the library, before continuing around the building as louvers.”
The Eye of Binhai holds up to 1.2 million books. That’s a lot of books!
With such a delightful design, the building takes up a monumental amount of space: 34,000 square meters.
It took 3 years to complete.
On the ground floor is a reading lounge where visitors are free to enjoy whatever book they please. Moving up, the next few floors feature lounges, offices, and meeting spaces. The top floors are reserved for computer and audio rooms. When it comes to studying, this is definitely the place to be.
MVRDV designed this building with its greater purpose in mind: the library is to be a part of a new community center created to bring vibrancy to the daily life of Tianjin.
“The building acts not only as an education centre but as a connector from the park into the cultural district,” they explain on their website.
“The futuristic library sits within a sheltered gallery, topped with cathedral-like vaulted arches, which winds its way throughout the scheme. [Our] project is surrounded by four other cultural buildings designed by an international team of architects.”
This is going to be one amazing space. If you have the money in your budget, be sure to buy a plane ticket to China to see what will probably be the greatest library you have ever seen in your life.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
