Ningbo New Library

Ningbo/ China

Size/ 31,800 m²
Competition/ 1st prize, restricted invited international competition
Status/ Completed 2019
Client/ City of Ningbo/ Ningbo Library
Architect and Landscape Architect/ Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects
Artist collaboration/ Richard Sweeney
Art facilitation and fabrication/ UAP
Photo/ Adam Mørk

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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.