The East Branch of Shanghai Library, located in Shanghai, China—the world’s third-largest city by population—has officially opened as a new cultural landmark and destination. Designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects (SHL Architects), this East Building stands among the largest newly constructed libraries worldwide.
Serving as a dynamic platform where art, culture, and technology converge for knowledge sharing, the East Branch embodies the rapid evolution of modern libraries. At the same time, it honors China’s cultural heritage by drawing inspiration from the iconic Taihu Lake Stone, embedding tradition into the spatial experience.
Chris Hardie, Director and Design Director of SHL Architecture, explains, “Our design concept, ‘from books to intersections,’ creates a space that brings people together. This building is a gift from the city to its citizens, symbolizing a cultural landmark of great significance to Shanghai.”
Since the Jin Dynasty, the Taihu Lake Stone has been cherished by scholars, inspiring endless creativity. Its “wrinkled, leaky, thin and transparent” form reflects the ancient Chinese philosophy of harmony between nature and humanity.
The architectural design, interior layout, and functional divisions of the East Branch evoke the mysterious rocks and mountains found in traditional Chinese gardens. The building’s main structure resembles a carved jade stone floating atop lush green treetops. Inside, spaces interconnect fluidly like the Taihu Lake Stone itself, fostering exploration and the sharing of knowledge.
Lin Jing, the project architect, reflects on the design: “The East Hall reinterprets a vital aesthetic symbol in Chinese culture—a rare opportunity for architects. Historically, scholars gathered around Taihu Lake Stones admiring their holes, textures, and unique shapes. These stones reveal different images from various angles, sparking imagination. Today, visitors experience similar inspiration while walking, reading, and reflecting within the library’s interwoven spaces.”
The library’s exterior subtly pays tribute to printing. Abstract patterns on the facade were selected from 15 marble photos and digitally printed onto semi-transparent glass, resembling a book cover wrapped around the building. Sunlight filters through these glass panels, illuminating the interior—much like how a good book enlightens the soul.
Prioritizing people, the East Branch offers an extensive book collection alongside over 200 lectures and thousands of academic events annually, attracting more than 4 million visitors. Its 115,000 square meter open, flexible, and interconnected space facilitates knowledge exchange through diverse formats.
The grand atrium features bamboo, oak, and terrazzo, creating a spacious, warm ambiance that warmly welcomes visitors. Atrium spaces on different floors stack and stagger in a spiraling upward arrangement, visually connecting all seven levels.
The first-floor lobby functions like a community market, complete with bookstores, cafes, and spaces for events and exhibitions. As Chris Hardie notes, “The library serves as a spiritual pillar for many communities and has become an inseparable part of daily life. We call it the ‘third space’—a personalized environment between home and office.”
From the outside, the library appears to float above two main functional blocks. One houses five lecture halls, exhibition spaces, and activity areas; the other serves as a children’s reading zone featuring an inner courtyard and outdoor play area.
The rooftop includes an outdoor landscape reading space with eaves to protect readers from rain. Beyond learning, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of Shanghai’s iconic Lujiazui skyline and Century Park, the city’s largest green space.
Chen Chao, Director of Shanghai Library, describes the East Branch as a new generation of intelligent, multifunctional libraries: “It’s not just a library or a borrowing room but an open cultural and artistic space. Exhibitions, lectures, music, art, and technological experiences—all these make visiting the library itself a form of ‘reading.’”
Artists play an essential role in this art-connected community. Ten contemporary artists from around the world—including Xu Bing, Gu Wenda, Shen Fan, Zheng Chongbin, Emily Freud, Ni Youyu, Liu Wenxuan, Plummer & Smith, Ma Xingwen, and Yang Zhenzhong—have created multiple custom permanent artworks for the museum.
Coordinated and executed by international art company UAP (Urban Art Projects), the Shanghai Library East Art Project explores “the evolving textual carriers in Chinese cultural development.” These pieces enrich public spaces by inspiring visitors, fostering communication, and celebrating knowledge.
Dane Currey, Creative Director of UAP, shares, “Shanghai Library envisions public art as a collection of exceptional works perfectly complementing this palace of knowledge dedicated to research, education, and archives. Leading the team for the Shanghai Library East Art Project has been an honor, witnessing the museum and architects’ dedication and collaborating with artists from concept through experimentation to final realization.”
Project Drawings
△ Project Model Diagram
△ Base Schematic Diagram
△ General Layout Plan
△ First Floor Plan
△ Second Floor Plan
△ Third Floor Plan
△ Fourth Floor Plan
△ Fifth Floor Plan
△ Sixth Floor Plan
△ Seventh Floor Plan
△ Hand-drawn Design Drawings
△ Hand-drawn Design Drawings
Project Information
Architect: SHL
Area: 115,000 m²
Project Year: 2022
Photographers: Fang Tian, RAWVISION Studio, Chris Hardie
Manufacturers: Kvadrat, avarte, North Glass Co., Ltd
Design Director: Chris Hardie
Design Team: Lu Rong, Lin Jing, Simon Persson, Bartek Winnicki, Feng Ye, Liu Sicong, Deng Siying, Dong Liang, He Xiaoshu, Meng Xing, Zhao Qi, Wu Hao, Hu Lanqing, Liu Xuewei, Zhu Fangzhou, Morten Schmidt, Lukasz Piotr Truchalski, Trushit Vyas, Steven YN Chen, Morten Nielsen, Sebastiano Cattiodoro, Steven Morten, Tade Godbersen, Chen Chao, Mao Beihong, Jia Xianjing, Sheng Jia, Chen Si
Collaborative Artists: Xu Bing, Shen Fan, Gu Wenda, Zheng Chongbin, Yang Zhenzhong, Ni Youyu, Liu Wenxuan, Ma Xingwen, Emily Floyd, Plummer & Smith
Owner: Shanghai Library
Interior Design: SHL
Collaborative Architect: Shanghai Architectural Design and Research Institute Co., Ltd.
Landscape Design: Aopai Landscape Design (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shanghai Branch
Structural Consultant: Schlaich Bergermann Partner
Mechanical and Electrical Consultant: Buro Happold
Sustainable Design Consultant: Transsolar
Logo Design: 2 x 4
Lighting Consultant: Leox
Facade Consultant: DHD for Hejia Curtain Wall Design, Shanghai Institute of Architectural Design and Research, DS Pulan
Construction Contractor: Shanghai Construction Fourth Construction Group Co., Ltd.
Location: Shanghai, China
Must log in before commenting!
Sign Up