By: Xiao Lühai
Just how much of a splash can the opening of a library make? Take a look at Tianjin Binhai Library, which has recently become an internet sensation. It has not only been hailed as China’s most beautiful library by various media outlets, but has also wowed Japanese netizens.
?/p>
The library, which opened in October, is located in the Tianjin Binhai Cultural Center and is part of the center’s “Five Halls and One Corridor.” What’s truly astonishing is the huge white sphere, over 20 meters in diameter, placed inside the building. Its surface—composed of aluminum panels and LED lights—forms a multifunctional lecture hall that resembles an eyeball. This, along with the massive glass exterior facade shaped like an “eye socket,” gives the impression of a bright eye gazing out over Binhai. Stepping into the atrium, visitors are bound to be awestruck by the flowing, stepped white “mountain of books.” The stairs spiral from the floor all the way up to the ceiling, giving readers the feeling of “climbing” through a mountain of literature.
?/p>
To create the illusion of being surrounded by endless books, colorful printed images of books are deliberately displayed at heights unreachable to visitors. The sci-fi-inspired design makes one feel as though they’ve stepped into a movie scene. The 360-degree, zero-dead-angle concept was actually a collaboration between the renowned Dutch architectural firm MVRDV and the Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute, taking nearly three years to complete this six-story structure. Inside this glass library, in addition to housing books, there are also meeting rooms, offices, computer rooms, and more, creating a multifunctional venue.
?/p>
Image source: MVRDV
Related Reading
【Fever Travel】5 Breathtaking Bookstores Around the World That Will Make You Never Want to Leave
Unbelievable！This Seaside Library Is Actually Located InChina?
【Exclusive Selection】Take a Trip to the Libraries