Danish architects to design new library in Shanghai

Photo: SHL

The Danish architect firm Schmidt Hammer Lassen (SHL) has won a two stage international competition to design the new city library for Shanghai, China. The 110,000 square metre library will be situated right next to Shanghai’s largest park in Pudong District, known for its iconic skyline.

The main library building will float above two pavilions that include a performance venue with a capacity of 1,200 seats as well as an exhibition and events space and a dedicated children’s library.

“A modern library is not only a place for the storage and lending of different materials, it is also a place to stay, a place for social interaction and a place to be inspired and surprised,” explained Morten Schmidt, another partner at SHL.

The library itself is organised around a grand central atrium with wood-lined reading rooms and glass panels, arranged to minimise solar glare and allow unobstructed panoramic views.

The library is scheduled to be completed in 2020.

Schmidt Hammer Lassen are one of the world’s leading library architects. One of their famous works includes the renovation and expansion of The Royal Danish Library in Copenhagen in 1999.

Read more in Copenhagen Post.