Pudong Library, Modern library in Pudong district, Shanghai, China.
Pudong Library is a rectangular building 36 metres tall, with six floors above ground and two below, designed by Nihon Sekkei with East China Architectural Design & Research Institute. Its two lower floors form a public and academic area, the third and fourth floors a double-height 'book mountain' with a grand stair, ramp and bookshelf walls, and the fifth floor holds potted plants beneath a sixth-floor ceiling shaped like floating clouds.
The library opened in 2010 as part of Shanghai's expansion of its public library system. A major renovation was completed in 2019, updating the facility with contemporary improvements.
The library's name comes from Pudong New Area, where it opened on 21 April 2001 at 324 Yingchun Road before moving to 88 Qiancheng Road in 2010. Its children's branch opened in Jinqiao on 22 October 2024. The Library Society of China named it a "Universal Reading Demonstration Base" in 2013.
The building is straightforward to navigate with clear signage throughout the different levels and sections. Visitor traffic tends to vary by area and time, so exploring during less crowded hours can enhance your experience.
The building's exterior is patterned in a way that resembles a barcode, giving it a distinctive visual identity. From certain angles, the structure appears to float above the ground due to its unique architectural engineering.
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