Tianjin Binhai Library is a public library in Tianjin, China. It is located in the Binhai New Area, and opened to the public on October 1, 2017. The library has a total floor area of 33,700 square meters, with a reading room on the first floor and a children's library on the second floor.
Designed by Dutch company MVRDV, the Tianjin Binhai Library is a 33,700 square meter public space that holds 1.2 million books and has a beautiful round auditorium in the center.
The library is open to the public from 09.00 to 21.00 every day.
Library exterior
The Tianjin Binhai Library is an impressive building both inside and out. The exterior consists of curved panels which give the illusion that the building is much larger on the inside than it really is. The library's exterior is made of white aluminum panels which are perforated with more than 4,500 holes of various sizes. These holes not only give the building an attractive and unique look, but also allow natural light to enter the interior spaces.
The exterior of the Tianjin Binhai library in China / Chi Lung Chang
Futuristic and “future-oriented” library
The Tianjin Binhai Library has been designed to be a "future-oriented" library, and as such, it has a lot of cutting-edge technology and facilities. For example, there are self-serve cash registers for borrowing books, and RFID tags are used to track the location of each book in the library. There are also many computers and printers available for customers to use.
Futuristic! The "book tree" in the Tianjin Binhai library
One of the most unique features of the Tianjin Binhai Library is the "Mountain of Books". It's a five-story stack of books that serves as both a decoration and a functional way to store books. There are also “book trees” scattered throughout the library, namely shelves that keep books in an upright position so that visitors can easily see them.
The inside of the library is as impressive as the outside. The five-story space is lined with bookshelves, creating a maze-like atmosphere that encourages visitors to get lost in the piles. In addition to traditional printed books, the library also offers digital books, e-books, and audio books.
Spherical shaped auditorium
The highlight of the Tianjin Binhai Library is undoubtedly the spherical-shaped auditorium located on the second floor. The room has a diameter of 30 meters and is surrounded by bookshelves that soar to the ceiling. A large staircase leads to the auditorium, which can accommodate up to 700 people.
The spherical auditorium in the Tianjin Binhai library / Shiva
Overall, the Tianjin Binhai Library is an impressive architectural and engineering feat, and definitely worth a visit if you're ever in Tianjin.
If you are looking for a unique and beautiful place to explore on your next trip to China, be sure to add Tianjin Binhai Library to your itinerary.
