TIANJIN BINHAI LIBRARY

Tianjin Binhai Library, also known as The Eye, is a library in Tianjin, China.

The Tianjin Binhai Library, located just outside Beijing, features a luminous spherical atrium with bookshelves lining the walls, from floor to ceiling. It is part of the Binhai Cultural Center, being one of its five central attractions. This huge futuristic library houses up to 1.2 million books. It is particularly a place for all book lovers.  The designing and building of the Binhai Library took a record-breaking time of only three years due to a tight schedule imposed.

MORE ABOUT ITS STUNNING ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN

Dutch architectural firm MVRDV collaborated with Tianjin Urban Planning and Design Institute (TUPDI) to create the five-story space and an impressive 36,000 square feet that resembles a three-dimensional eye from the outside. Almost all the shelves contain stacks of books, others have printed aluminum plates that mimic books.

The majority of the “books” in the room are print images of book spines decorating the back of the shelving to give the appearance of rows of tomes. If you take a closer look at the stunning photos of the space, it is easy to tell the real books apart from the flat replicas.

The curved continuum of shelves in the main room actually serves as seating and steps for visitors, giving the feeling you are lost in an undulating sea of words. They surround a huge, gleaming white spherical auditorium that stands at the center of the room. Furthermore it has the nickname “The Eye of Binhai”; due to its view from the park outside the library, the unique space resembles a giant eye.

The basement level contains service spaces, book storage and a large archive. Also the ground floor  is an easy-access reading areas for children and the elderly. The first and second storeys consist of reading rooms, books and lounge areas; whilst the top two storeys include meeting rooms, offices and computer rooms.

Take advantage of the stunning architecture, with endless photo opportunities and be mesmerized by its incredible design.