Shanghai is the most populous city in the world with almost 25 million inhabitants and the library system of the city dates back to 1847, so the competition to determine the architecture firm that will build the new branch of the Shanghai Library located in one of the most iconic parts of the city saw its share of big names and heavy hitters.
David Chipperfield, Kengo Kuma, and Dominique Perrault were just a few of the architects who vied for the project, but after the six-month-long, two stage competition ended, Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects won the opportunity to design the building.
The library, which will be located in Pudong District, is conceived as a monolithic object floating about the tree canopy within Century Park. The main library volume will float above two pavilions that will house a 1,200-seat performance venue, exhibition and events space, and a children’s library.
The architects for the project point to the library’s location within a park as one of the more interesting aspects of the project as it presents an opportunity to “create a sanctuary for knowledge and media in the trees.”
Rendering courtesy of Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects.
The library will feature three staggered reading rooms, arranged around a grand central atrium, that open up and connect to various parts of the library. The main library volume will be clad in a façade of clear, insulated, and fritted glass while the building will be carved and twisted to reflect the surrounding park and sky, according to the Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects. In order to minimize solar glare, the glass panels will be arranged in angled, horizontal bands.
The windows will allow visitors to look out to the east and see panoramic views of Century Park while views to the south will be of the landscaped courtyards and gardens of the new library park. The north and west facing windows will provide views of the city.
The project is currently in the design process with a completion date in 2020.
Rendering courtesy of Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects.
Related Stories
| Dec 10, 2013
16 great solutions for architects, engineers, and contractors
From a crowd-funded smart shovel to a why-didn’t-someone-do-this-sooner scheme for managing traffic in public restrooms, these ideas are noteworthy for creative problem-solving. Here are some of the most intriguing innovations the BD+C community has brought to our attention this year.
| Dec 9, 2013
Tips for designing higher education's newest building type: the learning commons
In this era of scaled-down budgets, maximized efficiencies, new learning methods and social media’s domination of face time, college and university campuses are gravitating toward a new space type: the learning commons.
| Nov 27, 2013
Wonder walls: 13 choices for the building envelope
BD+C editors present a roundup of the latest technologies and applications in exterior wall systems, from a tapered metal wall installation in Oklahoma to a textured precast concrete solution in North Carolina.
| Nov 26, 2013
Construction costs rise for 22nd straight month in November
Construction costs in North America rose for the 22nd consecutive month in November as labor costs continued to increase, amid growing industry concern over the tight availability of skilled workers.
| Nov 25, 2013
Building Teams need to help owners avoid 'operational stray'
"Operational stray" occurs when a building’s MEP systems don’t work the way they should. Even the most well-designed and constructed building can stray from perfection—and that can cost the owner a ton in unnecessary utility costs. But help is on the way.
| Nov 19, 2013
Top 10 green building products for 2014
Assa Abloy's power-over-ethernet access-control locks and Schüco's retrofit façade system are among the products to make BuildingGreen Inc.'s annual Top-10 Green Building Products list.
| Nov 15, 2013
Greenbuild 2013 Report - BD+C Exclusive
The BD+C editorial team brings you this special report on the latest green building trends across nine key market sectors.
| Nov 13, 2013
Installed capacity of geothermal heat pumps to grow by 150% by 2020, says study
The worldwide installed capacity of GHP systems will reach 127.4 gigawatts-thermal over the next seven years, growth of nearly 150%, according to a recent report from Navigant Research.
| Oct 30, 2013
11 hot BIM/VDC topics for 2013
If you like to geek out on building information modeling and virtual design and construction, you should enjoy this overview of the top BIM/VDC topics.
| Oct 28, 2013
Urban growth doesn’t have to destroy nature—it can work with it
Our collective desire to live in cities has never been stronger. According to the World Health Organization, 60% of the world’s population will live in a city by 2030. As urban populations swell, what people demand from their cities is evolving.
