Ningbo New Library by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects

Located on the edge of an ecological wetland, Ningbo New Library is our first completed library project in China. Founded in 1927, the original Ningbo City Library held the largest collection of historic and ancient books in the region and attracted three to four thousand daily visitors.

The new 31,800-square-metre library, with its open, accessible architecture, aims to double the number of daily visitors and become the cultural heart of the community. Located 200 kilometres south of Shanghai at the centre of Ningbo, China’s new cultural hub, the library is a vital element in the ongoing development of the city.

“We first came to Ningbo seven years ago when the Eastern New Town area of Ningbo was just beginning to slowly redevelop,” said Chris Hardie, Partner and Design Director Shanghai at Schmidt Hammer Lassen. “To see the library completed and part of not only the new ecological wetland landscape, but also the fabric of the local culture, is a rewarding milestone for our team.”

The serene surrounding library landscape contains gardens where ponds form habitats for aquatic plants and animals and where the sky reflects in the pools’ surfaces. The landscape acts as a retreat for meditation and contemplation where people can disconnect from their busy daily lives and enjoy tranquility and relaxation.

The spatial and architectural concept for the library creates a strong identity at the heart of the development. The journey to the main entrance over the wetland takes the user through a journey of escapism and contemplation where bridges, walkways, water, and nature blend as one sculptural landscape. A distinct and open facade welcomes visitors while casting a shimmering reflection on the lake.

Ningbo New Library is organized around an 8,000-square-metre open “square” on the first level. It comprises the most popular library functions and collections including the main lobby, reader services, children’s library, 24-hour library, a library for the visually impaired, two lecture halls, a café, and the grand reading room.

The ground floor is visually open on all sides, connecting it to an external public plaza and a landscaped ecological park and lake. In the heart of the library is a central atrium that cuts vertically through the building’s five levels. The generous, 28-metre-high space connects the ground floor square with a series of quieter research spaces and the historic collections on the floors above.

The use of natural daylight in all interior spaces is optimized through the building orientation, and natural ventilation is maximized through the central atrium. “We wanted to create a very legible building for Ningbo,” says Hardie. “The previous library was quite labyrinthine, so Ningbo New Library has an intentional spatial clarity.” Source by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects