The Tianjin Binhai Library

The Tianjin Binhai Library, a 33,700m2 cultural centre, features a luminous spherical auditorium around which floor-to-ceiling bookcases cascade. The undulating bookshelf is the building’s main spatial device and is used both to frame the space and to create stairs, seating, the layered ceiling and even louvres on the façade. A stunning project by MVRDV. Mind blown! I want to see this IRL! I love architecture!

6 Comments leave a comment below

  1. The books behind the steps are printed on because they failed to get the right permit to store books in that area and the lack of contrast in the stairs made enough people trip that they had to hire someone to remind people to watch their step.

    The place looks stunning, but a little sterile. I feel there is a design lesson in this.

  2. Yes, as stunning as the photos are (on closer examination, you can see there are precious few real books on the shelves), perhaps the most essential part of the narrative around this project is often dropped from the post/articles I’ve seen (though it appears in MVRDV’s own project description): “The tight construction schedule forced one essential part of the concept to be dropped: access to the upper bookshelves from rooms placed behind the atrium. This change was made locally and against MVRDV’s advice and rendered access to the upper shelves currently impossible. The full vision for the library may be realised in the future, but until then perforated aluminium plates printed to represent books on the upper shelves.”

  3. Wow! It’s so amazing! A library like this will attract more people come and read book. The design is so incredible.

  4. Oh wow.