Library

Shanghai Library East, a new civic landmark and cultural destination in the world’s third most populous city, has opened. Designed by Schmidt Hammer Lassen Architects (SHL), Shanghai Library East is one of the largest new libraries in the world. Its primary function as a center of art, culture, and technology-driven learning reflects the modern library’s rapidly changing raison d’être. At the same time, its allusion to classical Chinese scholarship—the building’s form conjures the scholar’s rock of the ancient literati—anchors it in tradition. “This important cultural center for the citizens of Shanghai embraces the idea of ‘collection to connection’—a space to bring people together. It’s the city’s gift to them,” says Chris Hardie, design director and chief architect for SHL.

Pine Bluff, Arkansas was once a Mississippi Delta jewel, positioned where southern pines meet vast farmlands along the Arkansas River. Like many delta cities, Pine Bluff was in steady decline as industries relocated and river traffic waned. The city that once boasted 70,000 people fell to 40,000 in population, gaining a negative national reputation for crime, hurting its ability to draw industry and retain homegrown talent.

Site conditions: advantages and challenges coexisting. The building is located in Shuangyue Bay Central Park, Pinghai Town, Huizhou City, Guangdong Province, China. The park is between the ancient town of Pinghai and the sea, not far from the famous Shuangyue Bay Turtle Reserve. The overall terrain of the park is high in the north and low in the south, with hills and valleys in the north and the sea in the south. The project base is close to the center of the park and is an independent and prominent “peninsula-shaped” hill. The trend of the hill is from northeast to southwest, so the view in the north is dominated by hills and valleys, and the view in the south is 270 degrees of excellent sea view. The hills in the park are soft in shape and not magnificent, but there are a number of boulders, which provide important support for the shaping of the landscape.