Library Buildings around the World

GL Studio – Gong Lu Architectural Design Studio, Shenzhen – China
http://www.chinese-architects.com
Libraries:
Library of Dongguan Institute of Technology, Dongguan – China 2004
Project Name: Library of Dongguan Institute of Technology, Location: Dongguan, Guangdong Province, Client: Dongguan Sonshan
lake Administration Committee. Dongguan Institute of Technology, Architect: Gong Wei Min, Lu yang, Yu Yong, Gao Wenfeng,
Den desheng, Yang Jun, Hu Qingbo, Structure and Material: concrete, steel, aluminium, Building Area: 24700 sq. Meters, Design
Period: 2002_2003
The new campus of the Dongguan Institute of Technology at Songshan Lake comprises 12 building projects, the design of which is
undertaken by various young Chinese architects. The campus is located on hilly terrain rich with vegetation and water bodies.
Located in middle of the campus, the library is the center of a public building complex which consists of an administration block to
the southwest, a theater and a conference building to the west. It also defines a central campus plaza with neighboring buildings to
the east. The succinct rhomboid shape is dictated by these site and contextual conditions. The two-level-high colonnade is to provide
generous space for dynamic interactions and social life in campus. Transparency is achieved through the use of architectural glass,
thus linking the natural forest to the west and the plaza to the east. Taking advantage of the site condition, the grand steps add
monumentality for the east and south fronts. The internal streets allow sunlight to reach the center of the building. It also form
visual corridors, bringing natural views into the depth of the building. The south and north facades feature plain concrete wall
punctuated by small windows. The east and west facades are made of an inner layer of sliding windows and an outer layer of
aluminum shutters which provide shading, prevent glare, and give the building a fresh and transparent feel. (http://www.chinesearchitecture.com)
Institute of Architectural Design and Research, Nanjing – China
Libraries:
Nanjing Public Library – China 2005
The public library in the city of Nanjing. The third-largest public library in China. Established in 1907 it’s the earliest public library
in China and served as the national central library during the Republic of China. So far, with its 8-million volume collection. As a
main storeroom for literary heritage of Jiangsu province and the whole country at large, NL houses more than 1.6 million ancient
books, among which the most precious are 10,000 sets, i.e. 100,000 volumes of rare Chinese books almost covering the full timeline of
book history, from Buddhist manuscripts of the Tang Dynasty 1,400 years ago to oldest prints of the Ming dynasty in the 14th
century. Besides, exclusive collection of documents of the Republic of China wins for NL high reputation from domestic and abroad.
( http://www.mimoa.eu/projects/China/Nanjing/Nanjing%20Public%20Library)
KDG Kalarch Design Group, West Beijing, Shanghai – China
http://www.kalarch.com
Libraries:
Tianjin Binhai Library, Tianjin – China in design 2012
Client: Tianjin Airport Authority, 2.100 m²
….The façade design was developed in a rather unusual, relaxed, manner; namely, the playful examination of a piece of paper. The
architects folded the paper in a way that loosely corresponded to the base, and layout, of the existing building, whilst examining the
new contours being created; this led to the eventual visualisation of the new structure’s skin. When constructed, extensions will be
administered in a perforated metal, which will allow for different angles and views of the library. Holes have been rendered into the
façade, with an expressed visual metaphor for the importance of reading between the lines; these breaks in the overall external
aesthetics, will supposedly force everybody to ‘read between the lines’ of the 2,100 sq m library itself.
The idea, behind renovations, was not only to redefine, to the benefit of the surrounding city, its extrinsic appearance, but also to
have a positive influence on the environment inside the building. In order to achieve this approach, all angles of their frontispiece
define two different types of spaces incorporated within: classrooms and study areas, positioned to provide users a sight-line to the
sky; and lobbies and exhibition rooms, facing out onto the reflective surfaces of the river.
(http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=18248)
TEDA (Tiajin Economic and Technology Development Area) Municipal Public Library and Archives,
Tiajin – China 2002
TEDA Library & Archives lies in the administration, finance and culture center of TEDA. As an important part of the investment
environment, it is the only one regional cultural institution adopting the integrated management of book, archive and information.
The whole building was invested to 450,000,000 RMB. It was constructed in January,2002 and open in December, 2003. it covers an
area of 16700 square meters, with a floor area of 66700 square meters. Covering an area of 33600 square meters the library and
archives were designed to collect 1,500,000 books, 1,200,000 volumes archives. It has 1200 seats and can serve 5,000 men
simultaneously.
Being based on TEDA, Serving Binhai District, TEDA Library, satisfies the needs of investment environment in TEDA, city
environment construction, cultural environment, and the ever-growing culture and life needs of people and provides convenient,
efficient information resources use environment and development by abundant document information resources, perfect equipments
and functions, advanced technology, high-grade efficient and convenient service and modernized management. An it will carry out
the task to serve the social culture and education, collect and distribute document information and process and add value to
information resources.
(http://www.tradeteda.org/en/enterprise/detail.asp?id=509)
Kokaistudios, Shanghai – China
http://www.kokaistudios.com
Libraries:
Tsinghua Law Library, Beijing – China Competition December 2011
Architects: Kokaistudios, Location: Beijing, China, Design Team: Filippo Gabbiani, Andrea Destefanis, Pietro Peyron, Li Wei, Qin
Zhantao, Daniel Ding, Client: Tsinghua University, Area: 20,000 sqm
2