The two-stage competition ran over six months, and the Danish bureau's rivals included stars such as Kengo Kuma, David Chipperfield and Domenic Perrault. The location of the future facility is practically unique: the plot allocated for construction is located in the center of the busiest business district, but at the same time it is adjacent to the largest city park - the so-called Park of the Century, with an area of about 140 hectares.
The place was chosen very precisely: very close to the Shanghai Science and Technology Museum, and a little further is located
Center for the Arts of the East. The construction of another large cultural and scientific center (back in 1995, the library was merged with the Shanghai Institute of Science and Technology, and now its functions are quite wide) is planned to be completed in 2020, and then three institutions will form a full-fledged cluster.
The architects themselves call their project the temple of knowledge in the branches of trees and compare it with the central stone in the composition of a traditional Chinese garden. The library itself will be raised on two volumes and literally soar above the green crowns. The complex shape of the volume expanding to the top is slightly twisted around its axis, but the horizontal glass stripes on the facade significantly restrain this movement. Double-layer panels of transparent fritted glass reflect the surrounding greenery and provide visitors to the reading rooms with spectacular panoramic views of the park and city. But to protect the interior space from overheating, the architects placed the panels at an angle and provided special shutters.
The total construction area will be about 110 thousand m2… One of the lower pavilions will house a stage area with a hall for 1200 seats, and the second - an exhibition hall and a children's center. All these zones are planned to be connected with the park using a system of terraces. The upper volume consists of three separate reading rooms, organized around a high-rise light atrium. To support the natural theme, wood is actively used in the design of interior zones. At the same time, the space will be organized in a rather complicated manner, with multiple “shots” and a well-thought-out system of visual connections.
