A library with a total area of 33,700 m2 appeared in the center of the new Binhai district in one of the most important and largest Chinese cities - Tianjin. According to the master plan of the gmp architects, the library has become one of five cultural institutions united in a compact block. The neighbors of MVRDV were, in particular, the object of Bernard Chumi.
As a result, the library had to become clearly rectangular, so the architects had to transfer their usual game with volume to the interior. The main space is occupied by "layers" of white shelves with books, also serving as stairs, seats, ceilings and even blinds - when they come into contact with two glass facades overlooking the park and the gallery common for the "cultural block", respectively. The focal point of this large library “urban living room” is the sphere that encloses the auditorium.
Unexpectedly, but the architects do not hide that their project was distorted due to the speed of implementation: there is no access to the shelves at the very top, so they are busy with fake book spines made of aluminum, and they will have to be washed with the help of temporary scaffolding and similar tricks. It is possible that in the future, the access designed by MVRDV will be created there, but so far there is no talk about this.
In total, the library contains 1.2 million books and a lot of media materials. They, as well as the archive and technical areas, are located on the underground level, and on the ground floor, as the most accessible, there are rooms for children and the elderly, an auditorium sphere and the main lobby. On the second and third tiers there are reading rooms and recreation areas, at the very top - conference rooms, offices, computer and audio rooms; on the roof there are two patios.
![EQUITONE [Natura] N164 White: Delicate White](https://i.architectureprof.com/images/004/image-9928-j.webp "EQUITONE [Natura] N164 White: Delicate White")