Yingkou LIBRAIRY, ChinA

The coastal town of Yingkou in north-east China is developing a new district dedicated to culture with the aim of giving the town influence on a regional scale. The library, an iconic feature of the whole project, will be the first step of this development. The complex programme, which brings together archives and the library, as well as government archives, is unified in a building with light and dynamic shapes. The contemporary idea of the “cloud” serves as a conceptual basis for the project.

The use of natural ventilation, sun breakers, and skylights for natural lighting, also make it a project that shows great respect for the environment. With a total surface area of 60,000 m², the library will be the first flagship building in the town and sets the tone for the architectural development of the surrounding public areas. The library will be open to the public in 2014.