Cities like London, New York and Paris have always been hot spots for literary tourism, but once book lovers discover China's latest book wonders, they'll want to add this new library to their wish list. Featuring an array of floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, multiple media rooms, two rooftop terraces and enough space for 1.2 million books, this Tianjin treasure will have you packing your bags and catching the next flight to Beijing flights.
Opened in October, the massive 36,000-square-foot library is located in the heart of Tianjin's Binhai coastal district outside Beijing. Nicknamed the "Eye of the Marina," the library is built around a large mirrored spherical auditorium, several stories high, at the center of the bright but spacious space. Surrounded on almost all sides by curved and layered bookshelves that also serve as stairs and seating for visitors, this stunning structure is designed to look like the interior of a human eyeball, and walking around inside will make visitors feel like they are explore. That.
According to a press release from Dutch design firm MVRDV, which is leading the project, the auditorium at the center of the building is key to its design and theme. MVRDV co-founder Winy Maas said: "Without access to the building's volumes, we 'rolled' the spherical auditorium the brief called for into the building, which simply makes room for it as a 'hug between media and knowledge' '" About the library's unique space.
At five stories tall, the Tianjin Binhai Library is a truly stunning architectural feat. Hidden behind rotating bookshelves on the bottom two floors, visitors will find plenty of reading rooms and quiet lounges to choose from. The upper three floors offer a number of interesting facilities, including audio and media rooms, meeting spaces, offices, computer labs and other educational facilities. On top of that, the library also has two rooftop terraces where readers can enjoy books in the fresh air.
While the state-of-the-art media lab and unique outdoor reading space are certainly enviable, what truly sets Tianjin Binhai Library apart is the same thing that sets every library apart: its bookshelves. Unlike the traditional stacks of local libraries, Tianjin's new book center features layer upon layer of stepped bookshelves, creating a cascading effect that readers can fully interact with. When you look around the interior of the space, they almost blend together to form one continuous shelf, which is exactly what the designers intended. At Tianjin Binhai Library, the bookshelves are not just for holding books: they are for walking, walking, sitting, lying on and exploring.
I don't know what your hometown library is like, but my hometown library has nothing in this dazzling house of books.
Commissioned by the Tianjin Binhai New Area government, the library is part of a larger complex of five cultural buildings and was built in just three years. Situated between the city's cultural district and a local park, the building's location is intended to serve as a literal and figurative bridge between urban life and nature. The building's design and construction was handled by Dutch architecture and urban design firm MVRDV, in collaboration with local architects from the Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute.
This modern library has a futuristic appearance that celebrates a timeless hobby: reading. Its stunning design and the ambience it creates are like a dream come true for bibliophiles who just want to lose themselves in good stories all day long. The shelves hold over a million books, so readers who visit have plenty of opportunities to do so.
This stunning building may be brand new, but regardless, according to this book lover, it already counts as one of the most beautiful libraries in the world. The only question is, when will you visit and what will you read there first?
