The Haikou Yundong Library is the first high-standard post station completed as part of the large-scale international public art project, “Haikou Seaside Post Station.” Situated in Century Park by Haikou Bay, the project covers an area of 4,397 square meters with a building footprint of 1,380 square meters. It features a library along with various facilities to support community activities.
The library, located on the south side of the building, offers a reading space capable of housing tens of thousands of books, as well as a multifunctional audio-visual area, both freely accessible to the public. On the north side, the building hosts amenities designed to serve visitors, including cafes, public restrooms, accessible restrooms, shower rooms, mother and baby rooms, public rest areas, and rooftop gardens.
© CreatAR Images
The Haikou Yundong Library invites visitors to engage with architecture through familiar urban contexts while embarking on a new journey through time and space. The hierarchy and complexity of its cave-shaped spaces create distinct layers of separation, offering readers a boundless space for imagination.
© CreatAR Images
This sculptural building stands still between land and sea. Its free-flowing, organic form shapes dynamic indoor spaces—walls, floors, and ceilings blend together, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside.
© CreatAR Images
© Existence of buildings
The perforations in and around the building resemble the natural “holes” found throughout the environment, gradually softening the boundary between architecture and nature. These openings of various sizes allow natural light to flood the interiors while enabling natural ventilation, helping to cool the building in the year-round warm climate. Visitors can gaze through these openings to the sky and sea, exploring the familiar world through the passage of time and space.
The varying atmospheres and scales of architectural elements interact with human activities, creating a ritualistic sense in everyday life.
© Existence of buildings
The sea-facing stepped reading area connects the first and second floors and serves not only as a reading space but also as a venue for daily cultural exchange activities. A separate children’s reading area, featuring skylights, holes, and niches, encourages exploration and curiosity. The operable glass skylights and oversized curved sliding doors enhance natural lighting, sea views, and ventilation.
© CreatAR Images
© Existence of buildings
© CreatAR Images
The building’s structural form creates multiple semi-outdoor spaces and platforms, ideal for reading and enjoying sea views. To adapt to the hot local climate, the surrounding corridor features a cantilever design, providing physical shading that reduces thermal radiation and improves energy efficiency.
© Existence of buildings
MAD Architecture takes an “anti-material” approach to avoid overtly expressing the structure and construction, thereby dissolving the cultural significance typically associated with materials and making spatial perception the central focus. Concrete, as a fluid material, is celebrated here for its flowing, flexible, and versatile structural form.
© Existence of buildings
The building is constructed with a single pour of concrete for both indoor and outdoor areas. The design development relied entirely on digital modeling. The roof and floor slabs feature double-layer hollow rib plates resembling “waffles,” which satisfy structural requirements for large spans and overhangs. These hollow structures also accommodate equipment pipelines and insulation materials, achieving a streamlined, unified indoor space. This integration of architectural design, structure, and electromechanical systems is a key element of the project.
© Existence of buildings
© CreatAR Images
© Existence of buildings
“The spiritual attribute is the core value of architecture; it defines the humanistic atmosphere of a city. We hope this urban space becomes a place where people want to come and stay in their daily lives. Here, architecture, art, humanities, and nature meet, opening an imaginative journey for people to explore and appreciate the diverse forms of beauty that enrich their lives.” – Ma Yansong
© Existence of buildings
© Aoguan Architectural Vision
© CreatAR Images
© Existence of buildings
© CreatAR Images
© Existence of buildings
Technical Drawings
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Roof Plan
△ Section Diagram
Project Information
Project type: Library, Public Buildings
Location: Haikou, China
Architectural Design: MAD Architecture Firm
Area: 1380 m²
Project Year: 2021
Photographers: CreatAR Images, Existence of Architecture, Aoguan Architectural Vision
Lead Partner: Ma Yansong, Party Masses, Yokosuke Hayano
Lead Vice Partner: Fu Changrui
Design Team: Qiang Siyang, Shang Li, Sun Feifei, Dayie Wu, Alan Rodríguez Carrillo, Jie Qilin, Beatrice Bavuso
Owner: Haikou Tourism Culture Investment Holding Group Co., Ltd.
Engineering Design: East China Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd.
Curtain Wall Consultant: Afa Architectural Design Consulting (Shanghai) Co., Ltd.
Lighting Consultant: Beijing Ningzhijing Lighting Design Co., Ltd.
Visual Design: 2×4 Beijing
Interior Design: Beijing Linghe Buyao Space Design
Construction General Contractor: Beijing Yihuida Qingshui Construction Engineering Co., Ltd.
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up